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Read more in the New York Jets Training Camp 2006 series:

Training Camp 2006: New York Jets, Interview with Kellen Clemens

Training camp 2006: New York Jets, Days One and Two

The Fire Still Burns in Curtis Martin

Training camp 2006: New York Jets, Days One and Two

The New York Jets opened their training camp at Hofstra University late last week with little fanfare. The low-key event befitted a team coming off a poor showing last season. What was surprising was the number of players on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Veteran running back Curtis Martin is on that list, in part because his surgically repaired knee still concerns him and the team medical staff. Wide receiver Justin McCareins was also on that list--for all of one day. Coach Mangini explained in his Saturday morning press conference that, "it’s really for the safety of the player. We expect everyone to be ready to work. We have several criteria tests we give, physical performance tests, and Justin did not pass them yesterday. At 6:30 this morning he re-took and passed the test, so he will practice today."

There is also a wide-open, four-way competition for starting quarterback. Coach Mangini said it was too soon to tell who’s ahead, but "when one of them does something to distinguish himself we will make a decision based on that."

Although Friday's workouts were lacking in excitement because of the heat, Saturday offered a better show for the fans and media in attendance. Early on the offense suffered a miscue, and Coach Mangini and Coach Brian Schottenheimer made the unit run a lap. There were no more miscues by a whole unit the rest of the day. All the quarterbacks hit receivers on deep passes.

While the Saturday workout was planned for two hours and ran nearly 40 minutes over, the late Sunday workout ended at 8:00 p.m. on the dot. The Jets’ new regime has no plans to make this easy for anyone. The story of the weekend besides Martin's knee is the youth movement, especially at quarterback. Previously, common opinion held that fourth-year backup Brooks Bollinger would be released at the end of summer if rookie Kellen Clemens from the University of Oregon had a good camp.

Don't be so sure. Several longtime Jets observers, including Jets Confidential publisher/editor Dan Leberfeld, feel that Brooks is just as much in the running for both the number one and and number-two quarterback spots. "Brooks is just as capable of running this new system as Chad [Pennington] or Patrick [Ramsey],” Leberfeld said.

While Clemens is experiencing a steeper learning curve than his fellow quarterbacks because of a short senior season caused by injury, he progresses everyday. "It's just little things" said a local high school coach who was observing practice. "The way he checks off, the spin on his passes, his presence under center."

Another quarterback is making progress as he learns to play a new position. Wide receiver Brad Smith out of Missouri, taken as one of their two fourth-round selections, made some smooth moves on several different routes both Saturday and Sunday. The other fourth rounder, running back Leon Washington, is also making strides. While Friday and early Saturday were difficult for him, he improved as the day went on and had two solid outings Sunday.

Two others with a decent weekend were point kicker Mike Nugent and punter Ben Graham. Nugent kicked four out of five, including 36 and 42-yarders. Graham shanked the first two but hit the next 20 or so clean and deep, including five or more at 45 yards with 4.5 to five-second hang time.

Only one group of fans came away disappointed. The younger crowd wanted autographs, but since players weren't doing any signings they could only buy autographed photos at the Jets Fest tent.

I'll be back at Jets camp later this week before my trip to upstate New York for two days with the Giants.

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