Expect a lot of surprises in Hempstead this summer

Jul 27, 2006

"Don Pardo, please introduce our contestants."

"Well, Alex, we have Chad Pennington from Knoxville, Tennessee, Patrick Ramsey, who hails from Ruston, Louisiana, Brooks Bollinger from Grand Forks, North Dakota and Kellen Clemens, a native of Burns, Oregon.

"The grand prize is the starting quarterback position for the New York Jets."

Most game shows have three contestants. Most quarterback competitions have two. This battle royale has four equal competitors, almost unheard of in the modern NFL. Try to think of the last time an NFL team had four quarterbacks competing for the starting job in training camp. Can't think of one.

The new coach will be closely monitoring every move his potential starting QBs make. (AP)

And there is nothing the football media likes better than a quarterback controversy, especially one times four. The tabloid editors are foaming at the mouth.

But a lot of observers aren’t buying that this is truly an open competition for the starting job. Most think it’s Pennington’s job to lose. Not the case according to one of the judges.

“It’s a four-man competition,” said Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. “What we're trying to do is to create competition. Whoever comes out of the competition should feel very good they weren't given the job. They've earned the job.”

With most teams, this open-competition mantra is just lip service. That was certainly the case under Herman Edwards. But under new head coach Eric Mangini, you get the sense that they are really going to try and conduct their operation with an even playing field. New England’s Bill Belichick is one of the few coaches in the league who truly adheres to this policy, and Mangini learned most of his football from the Patriots' boss.

“All players will be given a chance to compete for a starting job,” said Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum. “[Eric] will play the best players who give us the best chance to win.”

So, which quarterback gives the Jets the best chance to win?

On paper, it’s a healthy Pennington.

But the game isn’t played on paper, and Pennington has to prove he’s not a paper tiger.

It’s not a toughness issue. Pennington’s mettle can’t be debated. He’s as tough as they come. He proved that in 2004 when he played with a torn rotator cuff and led the Jets to the second round of the playoffs.

But the question is: can his twice-repaired rotator cuff hold up to the pounding that comes with being an NFL quarterback?

Former NFL quarterback Jim Miller, who also had a pair of rotator cuff surgeries, thinks it’s going to be very hard for Pennington to succeed this year.

"I came back too soon; I should have taken an entire year off," Miller told Jets Confidential Magazine. "Chad’s under pressure to throw and to play now. He’ll have problems. I guarantee you he ends up getting another surgery. I admire his heart, but if he plays he’ll end up hurting himself and his team. There’s just no way he’s gonna be ready."

Is Patrick Ramsey really a viable starter for Gang Green? (AP)

The problem might not be Pennington’s ability to throw the football.

"Eric Mangini cannot afford to start this new era with a problem,” Miller told JC. “And the first time Chad Pennington is planted into the field...."

That could be Pennington’s pitfall. If Tennessee Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vandenbosch beats rookie left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and buries Pennington’s surgical shoulder into the turf in Week One, the quarterback could be in a lot of trouble.

No matter how much rehab he does, Pennington’s twice-repaired shoulder likely will never be truly stable, and probably won’t be able to take too many big hits.

And with two rookie starters (Ferguson and center Nick Mangold), don’t expect his protection to be airtight. These two have the potential to be great, but in September, while they learn on the job, it could be rough sailing.

But despite all the naysayers, Pennington feels he’s going to beat the odds. Boomer Esiason, on his MSG Network show, recently asked Pennington if he was aware of any quarterback who has come back from two rotator cuff injuries.

Revisit Chad Pennington's appearance on the Boomer Esiason Show here:

“I don't know [anyone], but I sure plan on being the first,” said the eternally optimistic Pennington.

If he can, that would be great news for the Jets. He’s clearly their best option at quarterback right now. When healthy, he’s proven to be a very effective NFL signal-caller. He led the Jets to playoffs twice, and engineered a first-round win each time. He’s smart, efficient and sees the field well. He’s also a good leader.

But if he has a setback, which of the three other contestants gives the Jets the best chance to win this year?

It’s a toss-up.

Most people would assume that Patrick Ramsey would be the fallback plan, which makes sense. Like Pennington, he was a first-round pick -- so obviously he has a lot of talent and he also has significant starting experience from his time in Washington.

But the Jets' potential offensive line problems could be problematic for him as well. Ramsey has a tremendous arm, and can make all the throws, but he’s basically a sitting duck in the pocket. His downfall with the Redskins was precipitated by shaky protection, and his proclivity to display happy feet.

If the Jets' offensive line comes together quickly, Ramsey could get the job done. But if the protection is leaky, he could turn into a piñata like he did in Washington two years ago. This experience really shook his confidence.

While a lot of the media doesn’t consider Bollinger part of the competition, they are wrong.

For those that weren’t listening, let me bring back Mr. Mangini.

“Every single position is wide open right now,” said Mangini. “They are all going to get an equal opportunity. You'll see that the reps have been balanced. It's something that I look at every day to make sure the reps are balanced. I want to give everybody an opportunity and play the best players.”

Perhaps the Jets should've left Testaverde on his couch and gave Bollinger more of a shot. (AP)

So Bollinger clearly has a chance, despite some people in the media taking the baton from Herman Edwards and downplaying the guy's ability. Edwards clearly had an agenda against Bollinger. How else can you explain the mind-boggling decisions to bring in troubled, mercurial Quincy Carter and a past-his-prime Vinny Testaverde, instead of playing the Wisconsin product when Pennington got hurt?

If the offensive line is problematic, than Bollinger is the best answer the Jets have. He showed last year that when the protection breaks down, he can make a lot happen. He is a superb scrambler with an excellent feel for the game and a better arm than advertised.

As for Clemens, he’s clearly the Jets' quarterback of the future, but not the present (unless the season gets away from the Jets). He needs a redshirt year. Remember, he missed half his senior year due to a broken leg, so he’s still shaking the cobwebs off.

But if Clemens shines this summer, he could grab the starting job.

Because this is truly an open competition, just like most positions on the team.

Expect a lot of surprises in Hempstead this summer.

And that doesn't preclude the quarterback position.