A very different Jets team will arrive in Cortland this afternoon than the one fans are used to seeing. New general manager John Idzik has overhauled the roster, leaving very few familiar faces.
But there are a few. One is the man in charge — Rex Ryan. The cocky coach begins his fifth season leading the Jets today. He joins Weeb Ewbank, Walt Michaels, Joe Walton and Herm Edwards as the only Jets coaches to make it to their fifth season.
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This is a make or break season for Ryan, who has presided over two consecutive non-playoff seasons with the team crashing to a 6-10 record last year. Ryan vows 2013 will be different.
“I feel a responsibility to our fans that we are going to give you a different product and everything we have we’re throwing into it,” Ryan said last month. “That’s the product we’ll give you. I’m going to give you the defense you expected when I came here. I’m going to give you that offense that you expect. It’s not Ground and Pound. … It’s what we want to do, the way we want to attack. I think I owe it to the fans.”
The Jets have gone from Super Bowl contenders in 2010 to being viewed as one of the worst teams in the NFL. They will prove a lot of people wrong if they can put together a winning season.
Here are the five biggest story lines as the Jets begin training camp:
MARK OR GENO?
Get ready to hear a lot about Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith as the Jets conduct their first true quarterback competition since Sanchez’s rookie year in 2009, and even that was not as open as this.
Sanchez committed 26 turnovers last year and lost the confidence of the coaching staff as their season unraveled. Now, he is back for possibly his last stand with the Jets.
The Jets took Smith in the second round of April’s draft, and he will be given every chance to win the job.
WHEN DOES TONE TIME START?
The focus will fall on the quarterbacks, but the Jets’ biggest area of concern is wide receiver. They have very little proven talent there. The one receiver who has had success in the past is Santonio Holmes, who will open camp on the physically unable to perform list while still recovering from the foot injury that ended his 2012 season.
No one seems certain when Holmes will be back, but it is a key to the Jets season. Without Holmes, the Jets look impotent on offense. The Jets hope Holmes will be ready when the regular season starts, but don’t expect Holmes to rush things. He knows he could be a salary cap casualty after this season and will be thinking about his possible free agency.
REX WATCH
Ryan always has been brash and unapologetic when it comes to hyping his team. How is he going to handle this year when even he must realize it doesn’t have the same talent level as his first few years?
It will be fascinating to see how Ryan brings this team along with so many new faces. The relationship between Ryan and Idzik also will draw scrutiny.
GOODBYE REVIS
The reality the Jets traded their best player in April when they shipped Darrelle Revis to the Buccaneers is now going to sink in. Without Revis, the Jets will be counting on Antonio Cromartie to pick up where he left off last year when he made the Pro Bowl.
The pressure also will be on first-round pick Dee Milliner, who is expected to play opposite Cromartie. The defense could have as many as seven new starters this year.
LET’S PLAY MARTYBALL
New offensive coordinator Marty
Mornhinweg is being asked to revive a Jets offense that has gone dormant the last two years. It’s going to be a challenge with the limited talent the team has, but Mornhinweg has a proven track record as a coordinator. His West Coast system will be much different than Tony Sparano’s prehistoric offense of a year ago.
brian.costello@nypost.com