The Jets had a tough time getting the company line straight yesterday when it came to Tim Tebow.
The second day of their mini-camp in Florham Park began with Rex Ryan saying Tebow would get some snaps in training camp with the starters in place of Mark Sanchez, followed by a team official immediately “clarifying” it would only be in Wildcat situations, followed by Tebow doing the exact opposite of that clarification at the end of the afternoon workout.
Eyebrows were raised when offensive coordinator Tony Sparano closed the practice by having Tebow take two snaps with the No. 1 offense in a goal-line passing drill that had nothing to do with the Wildcat, but Tebow tried to douse any thoughts of a potential plot twist in the new drama “As The Jets’ Quarterbacks Turn.”
Asked if anyone should read anything into his brief stint with the starters, which came — coincidentally or not — on the first day fans could watch mini-camp, Tebow said: “I don’t.”
Tebow, who threw the ball out of the end zone on one of the first-team snaps and was 3-for-5 in 11-on-11 drills overall, added that he wasn’t surprised by hearing his name called to take over for Sanchez.
“Coach Sparano does that every now and then, just kinda throws you in there,” Tebow said. “I think it’s just a feel thing. He threw me in there the last two plays, and I tried to make the best of them.”
Sanchez, who completed eight of his 10 passes in 11-on-11 drills, appeared nonplussed by Tebow’s time with the starters and expressed more concern about what has been a bleak injury picture on offense lately.
Sanchez’s top two receivers this fall — Santonio Holmes and rookie Stephen Hill — were limited again yesterday by hamstring woes, and fellow receiving target Patrick Turner also was sidelined by the same malady.
That didn’t go over too well with Sanchez, who challenged his teammates to fight through the pain.
“We’ve got to get them on the field,” Sanchez said. “On paper, it looks great. But we’ve just got to push each other to get healthy and stay healthy and take care of our bodies. We really need those guys out on the field, because it’s an explosive group.”
Injuries haven’t been a problem for either quarterback this offseason, in part because both have done some bulking up since the end of last season.
Tebow said he is up to 249 pounds — seven pounds heavier than his playing weight as a Bronco in 2011 — and hopes to stay at 250 pounds this fall. That would be the heaviest he has ever weighed, which could be integral because Tebow is slated to play on special teams and do more designed runs at QB.
“I want to be stronger, but not at the expense of my speed,” said Tebow.
Sanchez also appears bigger and stronger, an improvement he credited to a more intensive regimen encouraged by Sparano because the coach feels it will help the velocity on Sanchez’s throws.
Asked if this is the strongest he has ever felt going into a season, Sanchez said: “Absolutely. I feel like I’m in good shape, and the ball’s just jumping out of my hand.”
Mini-camp concludes today, followed by a nearly six-week break that Sanchez said is a personal concern, even though he will gather several of his offensive mates for “Jets West” in California during it.
Sanchez sent a warning to any potential slackers.
“Just because you’re on a break from the building doesn’t mean you’re not in your playbook,” he said. “You’ll see who studied when we come back, and nobody wants to be the guy who doesn’t know what to do.”