Sports

IT’S CRUNCH TIME FOR JETS’ LUCAS

One of Ray Lucas’ virtues is the ability to be honest with himself and those around him.

With that in mind, listen to his assessment of his career, which is at a serious crossroads thissummer, as his last chance to become an NFL quarterback unfolds:

“In every aspect of the words, this is the be-all and end-all for Ray Lucas,” Lucas said at yesterday’s Jets’ rookie minicamp.

“This is it. As far as receiver and special teams go, too. If I don’t go out there and show I can still play special teams like I did a couple of years ago, what’s the sense in keeping me around here?”

Coach Bill Parcells has been trying to develop Lucas, a Rutgers grad and a Jersey favorite of his, into a backup quarterback for two years now. With Glenn Foley traded to Seattle, Lucas thought the door might be wide open … until Parcells signed his former New England backup, Scott Zolak.

Lucas now finds himself possibly squeezed out at quarterback, because the Jets’ newly signed punter, Tom Tupa, is going to be the No. 3, meaning Lucas must beat out the veteran Zolak.

Parcells has mentioned Lucas as “in the mix” to be the fourth receiver, but, if Lucas is going to work at quarterback all summer, when is he going to have a chance to win a No. 4 wideout job?

Lucas, who was a backup receiver in New England, doesn’t sound daunted by the possibility of being switched back to receiver if he has to.

“I’m going to do whatever it takes for me to be here and have a job,” he said. “I still feel fortunate to be here every day. You’re talking about a man who’s living out his dream here playing quarterback in the NFL.”

Parcells said, “In the end, if I can’t find a fourth receiver and [Lucas] can do it as well as anyone else and be depth at quarterback and be on special teams, that adds value. Keyshawn [Johnson] was kidding him about that the other day, saying, ‘You’re going to be back in our receiver [meeting] room in about two weeks.'”

Parcells said he’ll play Lucas and Zolak the most in the preseason games, and that he’s going to give Lucas many more reps on special teams than he got a year ago while learning the quarterback position.

Lucas was a force on specials with New England and in his first year with the Jets, but without the constant hitting of the reps last year, he grew soft.

“I’m going to make him do more work this summer on specials than last year,” Parcells said.

Lucas welcomes that.

“I told Ray this is a big year for him,” Parcells said. “At that quarterback spot I have to decide at some point what he has. I think he knows that. He knows the competition is there. I don’t know how it’s going to work out.”