NFL

Sanchez iffy for 2013 without backing by Jets’ bosses

For the first time in his NFL career, Mark Sanchez’s long-term job security is in peril.

Based on the comments from Jets head coach Rex Ryan and owner Woody Johnson at Tuesday’s season-ending press conference, the starting quarterback position is wide open going into 2013.

When questioned whether Sanchez’s four-year hold on the starting job would remain intact for 2013, both Ryan and Johnson deferred to the yet-to-be-hired general manager and offensive coordinator to make that decision.

“We’ll see what happens,” Ryan said. “Let’s get the general manager and the offensive coordinator in place before we answer any questions specifically about players.’’

Later in the day, in an ESPN radio interview, Ryan sounded even less committed to Sanchez, saying, “We have to play a lot better at the quarterback position. Whether it’s Sanchez or somebody else, that’s a fact.’’

This comes after Ryan and the organization bent over backward a year ago to show support to Sanchez following their courting of Peyton Manning and trade for Tim Tebow.

After flirting with Manning, who eventually signed with the Broncos, the Jets gave Sanchez a contract extension that guarantees him $8.25 million next season. They later acquired Tebow, a move that proved to be one of the biggest busts in the league in 2012.

The Jets would surely consider trading Sanchez if there were a suitor, but that is highly unlikely — not without the Jets paying almost all of his 2013 salary. Sanchez’s salary cap number is $12.8 million if they keep him. The Jets would take a $17.1 million cap hit if they cut him.

“Obviously, the situation, the offensive coordinator, his system, all those kinds of things, there will be a lot of things that go into it, but, money, the financial part of it, will not have any of the considerations for it,” Ryan said. “We’ll play the player that fits what we do best. That we believe gives us the best chance.”

Johnson said, “I concur,’’ then added, “That’s a determination you make in the future, but it doesn’t have anything to do with what we’ve done retrospectively or whatever. We’re looking for the best player at the start of the season, the start of the preseason.’’

Sanchez turned the ball over an NFL-high 52 times the past two seasons. This season, he threw just 13 touchdown passes and was benched for third-stringer Greg McElroy in Week 16.

The team’s plan likely is to bring in a veteran quarterback to compete for the starting job — someone like Dolphins backup Matt Moore, a former starter. San Francisco’s Alex Smith is probably the ideal choice, but he may be cost-prohibitive.

Asked whether the starting quarterback position is “wide open’’ for 2013, Johnson said, “I mean, every year, I think pretty much every year there’s competition among players.’’

One quarterback who never got a chance to compete for the job was Tebow, who Johnson stated in midseason would be a Jet for the entirety of his three-year contract. Yesterday, the owner backtracked.

“We’re not going to make any player decisions, particularly on offense, until we have a coordinator around and we analyze the whole roster and see what fits and what [doesn’t],’’ Johnson said. “I think we’ll make those determinations once the new offensive coordinator is here [and] we can plan the whole offensive strategy.’’

Ryan said, “Right now, understanding that there’s things that we need to do at first, we need to get an offensive coordinator in place and then we’ll address it from there. Right now, I think it’s way too early to say what any of our players’ future is. We need to get an offensive system in place and then we’ll make those determinations.

“Tim is under contract right now with our football team.’’

But all signs point to Tebow being traded (if anyone will give the Jets something for him) or released.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com