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Thoughts on Day One

By Ken Berger
    With two practices in the books on Day One of the Jets' mandatory minicamp, some thoughts, observations, and things you need to know:
* While it was difficult to measure Pennington's progress given that only the short passing portion of the offense has been installed, I thought he looked extremely well-versed in the offense and his throws -- short as they were -- looked crisp and accurate. He hit his stride in the two-minute drill late in the afternoon practice, looking completely in control.
* Kellen Clemens has a lot to learn, but he definitely looks the part. He's a cool customer, can command a huddle, and seems to have "it." Mangini said Clemens spends so much time at the complex studying that he might as well move in.
* As expected, Bryan Thomas is working mostly as a stand-up outside linebacker, the hybrid role played by Willie McGinest in New England. I have no doubts about Thomas' ability to pursue upfield and laterally, but I wonder about his ability to drop into coverage.
* I think Dewayne Robertson will be OK at nose tackle, but the Jets will need somebody more stout at the point of attack to clog running lanes on obvious running downs. I can't tell yet if Sione Pouha is the answer. One thing I know: I don't like Robertson as an end. He's not long enough.
* Leon Washington is a nifty runner who has potential as a return man.
* Drew Coleman, an undrafted rookie from TCU, fought for a nice interception in the afternoon practice. I predict his name will keep coming up.
* There are so many pre-snap checks and hand signals in the Jets' new offense that it reminds me of Peyton Manning's scheme. If Pennington can get healthy, this style of offense plays directly to his strengths: reading defenses and making quick decisions to exploit weaknesses he observes at the line of scrimmage.
* Eric Mangini's practices seem more structured and detail-oriented than Herm Edwards' were. But I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon just yet. Don't forget how it works in the NFL: Every time a team goes from a so-called "players' coach" to a disciplinarian, there is a groundswell of opinion that a little discipline is just what the team needed. A few years later, when the disciplinarian is fired and replaced by a so-called "players' coach," the prevailing thought is that the players had become sick of the discipline and needed a coach to "treat us like men." I predict that this will become a storyline in training camp, but Mangini will be judged on the results on the field over a period of several years, not on his practice style.

Chad Returns

By Ken Berger

I'm back. So is the blog. More importantly, so is Chad Pennington.

It's only June 15, but today is a significant step in Pennington's return from right shoulder surgery in October. For the first time since training camp last August, Pennington is expected to practice twice in the same day.

I just got finished watching the first practice, and Pennington looked smooth and in command -- but as expected, most of what the offense is working on at this point is the short passing game. Pennington's longest completion by far was a 35-yarder on a post route to Laveranues Coles -- on a blown coverage by Derrick Strait. Everything else was 15 yards or less.

The biggest surprise was that it wasn't Pennington or Patrick Ramsey who strode to the line of scrimmage first with the starting offensive line. That honor went to rookie Kellen Clemens.

To the media members in attendance, it certainly seemed significant that Clemens was getting the starter's reps in the rotation with Pennington, Ramsey, and Brooks Bollinger. Pennington scoffed at the notion, bristling at one point to a TV reporter who brought it up. Pennington explained that the rotation changes every day, and today it was Clemens' turn to get most of the reps behind the starting line in team drills.

Clemens looked poised and in command, but he looked a lot better in individual drills and 7-on-7 than he did in full-squad drills. After consecutive passes that were intercepted by Eric Barton and batted down at the line by Bryan Thomas, one of the Jets' starting defensive players barked at Clemens, "I told you, rook, it's gonna be ugly for you."

While I didn't come away with a strong opinion one way or another about Pennington's progress, I can say this without equivocation: this is a truly open competition for the starting job, and Pennington looks to me to be in for the fight of his career.

I'll be back later to discuss the afternoon practice. Feel free to weigh in.

Pennington Update

By Ken Berger

    I know you're hungry for information -- some of you are starving, judging by your posts -- so you'll be happy to know that I stopped by Mangini's youth football camp in Hartford today. It was an impressive showing of more than 700 kids who got a chance to learn from NFL coaches and players. And it was for a good cause; all proceeds go to the Carmine & Frank Mangini Foundation, which raises money for under-resourced youth.  The foundation is named for Mangini's late uncle, Frank, and late father, Carmine, who died of a heart attack when the Jets' coach was only 16.

Also of importance to you was an update from Chad Pennington on his four practices this week in the Jets' voluntary passing camp. Even the usually talkative Pennington, who helped coach the quarterbacks at Mangini's camp today, was tight-lipped on specifics of his first live drills since shoulder surgery in October. After getting a very positive vibe from him at the Taste of the NFL benefit in Manhattan three weeks ago, I came away today thinking Pennington seemed much more guarded about his progress and the road ahead. It'll all be in my story in tomorrow's paper, so check it out. As always, comments are welcome.

I know a lot of you are eager to keep this blog going all the time, and I welcome that. I just hope you understand that it is extremely difficult -- if not impossible -- for me to give you the kind of informed analysis I expect from myself when I'm not even allowed to watch the team practice. This is not whining; I'm merely explaining why I can't observe what I can't see.

The good news: A new NFL rule requires all teams to hold one mandatory offseason minicamp
that is open to reporters. So I'll actually be able to see for myself what Pennington looks like in the June 15-17 camp and report back to you. Be well.

Chrebet Stats

By Ken Berger

    I know you all know Wayne finished with 580 receptions, second only in team history to Hall of Famer Don Maynard (627). Here are some stats you might not know (courtesy of the Jets):

Chrebet’s Milestone Receptions: Timeline

 Catch No.  QB, Yards, Date, Opponent

 1  Boomer Esiason, 27 yards, Sept. 3, 1995, at Miami

 100  Frank Reich, 11 yards, Oct. 13, 1996, at Jacksonville

 200  Neil O'Donnell, 30 yards, Nov. 30, 1997, at Buffalo

 300   Ray Lucas, 18 yards, Nov. 21, 1999, vs. Buffalo

 400  Vinny Testaverde, 20 yards, Dec. 24, 2000, at Baltimore

 439  Vinny Testaverde, 21 yards, vs. Cincinnati, Dec. 16, 2001, vs. Cincinnati (passed Wesley Walker and Mickey Shuler)

 500  Chad Pennington, 22 yards, Dec. 15, 2002, at Chicago (Champaign, Ill.)

 518  Vinny Testaverde, 1 yard, Sept. 14, 2003, vs. Miami (passed Al Toon)

 580  Brooks Bollinger, Nov. 6, 2005, vs. San Diego (final catch)

Chrebet's Career Receptions by Quarterback

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Quarterback	Rec.	Yards	Avg.	TD	1st Downs	3rd Down Conv.
Vinny Testaverde	231	3,119	13.5	17	170	59
Chad Pennington	73	1,037	13.4	3	43	21
Neil O'Donnell	73	975	13.4	3	26	9
Ray Lucas	49	599	12.2	3	26	9
Frank Reich	46	499	10.8	3	27	13
Boomer Esiason	42	464	11.0	2	27	6
Glenn Foley	40	524	13.1	1	27	13
Bubby Brister	20	196	9.8	2	8	9
Brooks Bollinger	6	80	13.3	0	4	4
Rick Mirer	4	68	17.0	0	3	1
Quincy Carter	3	19	6.3	0	1	1
Curtis Martin	2	36	18.0	2	2	0
Jay Fiedler	1	18	18.0	0	1	0
Totals	599	7.634	12.7	43	398	153

Talking About Wayne

By Ken Berger

    Obviously, there's not enough room in the paper for all the quotes from around the league about Wayne Chrebet. Here's an unedited collection of comments collected and distributed by the Jets today:

Jets Owner & CEO Woody Johnson: “His story is one of that has been told countless times, but bears repeating. He overcame the doubters with persistence and hard work and talent and he followed his dreams. He represented the Jets with class and dignity. We are thankful he is part of our franchise’s fabric.”

Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum: “Wayne Chrebet was a one of a kind player. I spoke a few months ago about turning over every rock in an effort to find the types of players we want on our team. In 1995, that kind of player walked across Hempstead Turnpike and had to convince Harry Fisher, our security guard at the time, to let him into Weeb Ewbank Hall as a rookie free agent. And here we are 12 years later, celebrating a wonderfully productive football career, entirely with the New York Jets. I hope that we are able to find more ‘rocks’ from the likes of which produced Wayne.”

Jets head coach Eric Mangini: “He’s inspiring to players, coaches and fans. He was a fun player to cheer for because of how he came into the league and how much he appreciated his opportunities. As a coach, you hope that all of your players have his level of dedication, toughness and professionalism. You are always grateful to have a player of his caliber on your team, but as an opposing coach, you’re disappointed to have to face him. When I personally coached against him, we spent countless hours and reps trying to stop Wayne Chrebet and were rarely successful. I wish him nothing but happiness and success in his future endeavors.”

Charlie Weis, Notre Dame head coach, Jets assistant coach 1997-1999: “Wayne’s two greatest strengths as a player were as a slot receiver and as a blocker. You could line him up in the slot and no one could cover him. He was also a dominating and willing blocker and as tenacious as they come. Wayne could play on my team any day.”

Boomer Esiason, Studio Analyst, CBS Sports, Jets quarterback 1993-1995: “He is a testament to what hard work and desire can do for somebody. His career has been fantastic and although he’s never been to a Pro Bowl, in my eyes he’s a Pro Bowl teammate. When he arrived at Hofstra I didn’t know who he was. I thought he was a ball boy. I think he was probably 10^th on the depth chart at wide receiver. What I do remember is how eager he was to learn, how eager he was to work, and how hard he worked because he wanted it more than anybody in the room. In my estimation he will go down as one of the greatest Jets of all time because he did it for the little guy and the little guy showed what a big heart could do. He had a wonderful career that nobody believed that he could accomplish. He did it with dignity, he did it with class, and he’s been a great friend, and I know nothing but good things for him will happen in the future.”

Bill Parcells, Dallas Cowboys head coach, Jets head coach 1997-99, Jets director of football operations 2000: “Wayne was a player any coach would have been happy to have. He proved year after year that size is not really a prerequisite. He certainly is to be listed among the all-time New York Jet players and among the best I have been fortunate to have coached.”

Don Maynard, Jets wide receiver and Hall of Famer: “He came to play. He’s a winner and always will be a winner.”

Ray Mickens, Jets cornerback 1995-2004, Cleveland Browns 2005, Jets 2006: “He was the toughest football player and competitor I have ever been associated with, that I’ve ever seen. That guy right there is the epitome of what football means to me.”

Phil Simms, CBS lead analyst, former Giants quarterback: “I used to get upset when I saw articles that said Wayne Chrebet is an overachiever. I felt it did him a major disservice. He is a man with talent and toughness and he took it on the field and achieved. He got as much out of his talent as about any player I have seen in a long, long time. He’s an achiever. He reached his potential, something we all strive to accomplish. He can go and retire and feel good that he gave it his best and it was damned good.”

Marty Lyons, Jets radio analyst, former Jets defensive lineman: “I remember after he had that huge game against Delaware as a senior [at Hofstra]. I remember speaking to his parents and telling them that I thought he could play at the next level. When he came in as a rookie free agent, I recall that he caught everything that was thrown his way and he quickly became a fan favorite. After looking back at his accomplishments after 11 seasons, I truly believe he is the most beloved Jet to ever put on a uniform. He is the blue-collar hero for the people that work hard, the guy who represented all the people that were told they couldn’t do something, and more importantly, he played the game the way it was meant to be played. He played hard every week, he competed hard and played to win, every single week, every single game. He’ll be missed; but never forgotten.”

Romeo Crennel, Cleveland Browns head coach, Jets assistant coach 1997-1999: “Mr. Clutch. Small in size, big in heart, effort and toughness. If you didn’t double him, he’d make the play. He took great pride in his job and the fact that he was a Jet. He was a Hofstra free agent who walked across the street and became a star.”

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots head coach, Jets Assistant Coach 1997-1999: “Just the whole background on him: not drafted, coming into the NFL as pretty much an unknown guy, and really establishing a great role for himself as a slot/third down receiver. One of the best at it that I've coached for or against. He was just a hard guy to cover. … He's a very competitive guy. Good, smart player that I think every quarterback that has ever thrown to him, and there have been a lot of them, had a lot of confidence in him because of his ability to get open and catch the ball. … Until the end, he was still the guy, when was out there, he was still the guy that you have to get, even deep into his career. Part of that is him, but a big part of it is the confidence that the quarterbacks have in him and they continued to go to him even though he was doubled and he still got open. He was a real pain in the neck. He was simply a hard guy to cover.”

Bruce Harper, Jets running back, 1977-1984: “I really admire Wayne and the things he was able to accomplish as a player. Quite a few times people made the comparisons between my career and his career and the fact that we both came from small schools and were told we were too small to play. What Wayne had were gifts: great hands, great anticipation and the ability to beat zones, presses and find ways to make plays. He was, and always will be, fun to root for.”

Ray Lucas, Jets quarterback, 1997-2000, Miami Dolphins 2001-2002, Baltimore Ravens, 2003: “First and foremost, he’s a Jersey guy. We had similar paths into the league. I will always be loyal to him and can’t say enough good things about him. As a quarterback he was exactly what you are looking for. You’d go through all your progressions and reads and but you knew that Wayne would there and he’d do anything he could to make a play for you. In my opinion, he’s the best third-down receiver to ever play the game. He would do anything for his quarterbacks and anything for his teammates. It didn’t matter if it was going over the top of people to make plays, sliding across the field. He played the game like it was meant to be played.”

Pete Kendall, Seattle Seahawks guard 1996-2000, Arizona Cardinals 2001-2004, Jets 2005- : “What always stood out to me about Wayne, as both a competitor and as a teammate of his, was his tenacity. He was a true bulldog. He would stick his nose in there and take on guys going twice his weight and fight them for every inch. He never had any back down in him. He’s the kind of guy you love to have on your team each week because you knew you could depend on him.”

Herman Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs head coach, Jets head coach 2001-2005: “Wayne Chrebet is the ultimate competitor. He played the game of football with great passion, toughness and enthusiasm. He had the unique ability to make the clutch play when the game was on the line. He epitomized the New York fans with his great work ethic and his never-quit attitude. I am honored to say that I coached Wayne Chrebet. I would also like to thank everything that Wayne has done in his professional career to represent the National Football League on and off the field as an example to all of those that follow him. I wish Wayne and his family the very best.”

Jets quarterback Chad Pennington: “He’s a classic. You here the personnel people talk all the time about how they are looking for the big, fast receivers. But ask any quarterback that ever played and they’ll all tell you that they’d love to have played with Wayne Chrebet because he was smart, tough and would do whatever it took to make a play. He understood the game so well and he understood what it took to win. He was a tireless worker and supported his teammates to the fullest degrees. I am truly blessed to have been a teammate of his and I wish him the best of luck. We will always be friends and I cherish our friendship.”

Jets running back Curtis Martin: “He inspired me every day. I loved the way he played and how he never backed down from anything. He was an incredible teammate. He was a warrior; and I always felt you’d have to kill him to get the upper hand on him. If every player in the NFL had as much heart and desire as he had, football would be illegal.”

Jets receiver Laveranues Coles: “We came from different backgrounds but the day I walked in here, he took me under his wing and taught me how to be a professional. He knew that I was playing pretty much the same spot on the field, but he pushed me everyday. He is an amazing friend and I love him like a brother.”

Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma: “I feel cheated that I only got to play two years with him. People say he was undersized, and I have heard the same thing said about me, but you can’t measure heart and desire, which he is all about. I am really going to miss him. He was an unbelievable player and teammate.”

Giants defensive end Michael Strahan: “Regardless of what team you are on, whether it is in college or in the NFL, everyone always roots for the underdog and that is what Wayne Chrebet always was. He always played with a chip on his shoulder and gave his best. He never had an excuse and that is why he is one of the most respected players of this era. I really consider it an honor to be one of his best friends. Honestly, he’s like a brother to me.”

Jets quarterback Brooks Bollinger: “He loved the game more than anyone I have ever played with or against. Passion, toughness, dedication and a guy that you loved to have in the huddle. He was amazing. Simply amazing.”

Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis: “Wayne is one of the players I will tell my grandchildren about one day and how lucky I was to have met him and played alongside of him. He is a champion. I always loved it when other teams would underestimate him because he thrived on it and would hurt them. He practiced liked he played: full-tilt.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin: “The thing that says it all for me is that he was a guy who was told he was too small and too slow and he played 11 years in this league, and he didn’t just play. He made the key catches when his team needed them. He was extremely reliable, and he was their go-to guy.”

Farewell to Wayne

By Ken Berger

I was chatting with Wayne Chrebet during training camp a couple of years back when he turned the tables on me.

He asked me a question for a change.

"How long have you been doing this?" he asked.

I explained that I've been covering the Jets since the 2000 season, and he shook his head, as if to say, "Time flies ..."

"Wow, you missed it," Chrebet said.  "I used to be good before you got here."

True, I had left my native Long Island and was off covering SEC football and the Cleveland Indians when Chrebet famously walked across the street from the Hofstra campus, made the Jets as an undrafted free agent, and began carving out one of the most remarkable careers in the team's history.

But he still gave me plenty of memories, plenty to write about. I was in the press box the night he helped the Jets erase a 23-point deficit in a 40-37 OT victory over the Dolphins -- the "Monday Night Miracle." I was in the press box in Tampa, staring straight down into the corner of the end zone where Chrebet caught Curtis Martin's  game-winning TD pass against the Bucs that same season.

I was also in the press box for each of Chrebet's frightening concussions in recent years, and I have to say one of my saddest moments covering sports was watching Chrebet sit helplessly at his locker after his final concussion last season against San Diego. A man who could somehow always find a way to get open, who could take a hit from players outweighing him by 70 pounds and still hold onto the ball, couldn't even undress himself. I knew that was the end.

But the end officially came today, when Chrebet announced what everyone knew for months he would announce. His retirement leaves a void in the Jets' locker room and in a league that still has too many self-promoters and too many egotists who believe playing in the NFL is their right. Chrebet never believed that. Yesterday, I could see that he was still just happy that he made the team back in 1995.

I'll leave you with a list I've put together of Chrebet's five most memorable moments. Feel free to comment, offer suggestions, or slap me around for leaving something out. It won't change the fact that I feel lucky to have watched him play as long as I did -- even though I missed the best part of the story, the beginning.

Here goes:

1) Oct. 23, 2000 vs. Miami: In the famous “Monday Night Miracle” game, Chrebet had two touchdowns, including a 24-yarder from Vinny Testaverde that tied the score at 30-30 and capped the Jets’ comeback from a 30-7 deficit. Chrebet then set up John Hall’s game-winning 40-yard field goal in overtime with a 28-yard catch as the Jets won, 40-37.

2) Oct. 13, 1996 at Jacksonville: In a 21-17 loss, one of 15 losses that season under Rich Kotite, Chrebet had 12 receptions for 162 yards and five third-down conversions – all career highs.

3) Dec. 29, 2002 vs. Green Bay: In the game Chrebet describes as his most memorable, he had three receptions for 37 yards and two touchdowns as the Jets blew out the Packers, 42-17, and clinched their first AFC East title since 1998 after starting the season 1-4.

4) Nov. 15, 1998 at Indianapolis: In a 24-23 loss, the last game the Jets lost before the AFC Championship Game in Denver, Chrebet had four receptions for 112 yards including a 63-yard touchdown from Testaverde. It was the longest touchdown of Chrebet’s career and also the longest first-down conversion (second-and-29).

5) Dec. 15, 2000 at Chicago (in Champaign, Ill.): On his 500^th career reception, a 22-yard catch-and-run from Chad Pennington, Chrebet tried to hurdle a defender near the goal line and lost a fumble, seemingly costing the Jets a shot at the playoffs with a 20-13 loss. They rallied to win their final two games and won the AFC East.

Minicamp -- Day Two

By Ken Berger

Mangini was pleased with the morning practice today. The key thing for the rookies in a camp like this is to 1) improve on what they did the day before, and 2) translate what the coaches tried to teach in the classroom to the field as the installation on both sides of the ball progresses beyond the basics. Mangini seemed pleased that both had taken place.

I was here at 10:10 sharp for the toe-touching again, and I thought it was even better than yesterday. Not a single toe went untouched. Woody was back for Day Two, without the orange tie. He went tie-less, in fact. Mangini wore his gray sweatshirt, but he's clearly trying not to be too much like Belichick. There was no hood.

I am getting concerned about the health and well-being of a long-time practice observer. The black-and-white cat that Parcells used to stop and pet on his way to the field has been nowhere to be found during minicamp. Maybe he/she/it is not allowed to watch practice anymore. Or maybe he/she/it already has moved to Florham Park, N.J.

Assistant coaches and former Jets Richie Anderson, Bryan Cox, and Rick Lyle were back on the field after missing yesterday's sessions to attend a coaching symposium. Watching them coach brought a serious question to mind: Is Mangini going to be held back by having such an inexperienced staff?

I wish there was more I could share from the on-field activities. Honestly, the only thing that jumped out at me was Kellen Clemens' poise. He just looks the part. He'll need to bulk up considerably, and I gained no sense for how he's progressing with the playbook, but he oozes confidence. I'd prefer, however, if he would no longer refer to Chad as "Mr. Pennington."

I suppose there's a chance the Jets might've gotten a steal in Leon Washington, whose draft status suffered because he was in Bobby Bowden's doghouse at Florida State last year. Washington didn't join his teammates for offseason workouts after his junior year because he had to return home to Jacksonville to help earn money for his financially struggling family. He came back in less than exemplary shape as a senior and didn't put up the numbers he could have. If the Jets are going to run the Chargers' offense, they'll need to throw the ball to someone nifty out of the backfield. The opportunity to earn carries behind Curtis Martin should be wide open.

There's one practice tomorrow, with no media access. I do not anticipate being invited to the passing camp at the end of the month, so my next trip to Hofstra is tentatively scheduled to be full-squad minicamp, June 12-14.

Minicamp -- Day One

By Ken Berger

Friends and countrymen, it appears that we will have to seriously revise our expectations for the depth and quantity of information I'll be able to deliver to you out of minicamp this weekend.

You're all curious about how various draft picks and undrafted rookies looked in drills. Unfortunately, reporters were permitted to view only 45 minutes of one practice today, and that time included none of the team drills. We didn't see anyone line up in 7-on-7 or 11-on-11, so I can't even tell you who's working where or how they are handling their assignments. These guys can touch toes with the best of them, though. That I know.

It's more of the same tomorrow, when we get to watch 40 minutes of the morning practice. The afternoon practice will be closed. I'm not sure what the big secret is -- and the funny thing is, I'll never know.

To me, limiting what reporters can view in a minicamp practice is not only unfair to the fans who want information on their team. It's unfair to the players, too. If we report that a player dropped a ball in individuals or stumbled in an agility drill, how would we ever know if he he caught three touchdown passes in the more important team drills? No wonder players think the media are unfair.

I can tell you that Mangini seemed at ease on the field in his first practices as a head coach, even participating in some of the drills and raising his voice a couple of times. He was equally at ease in his first news conference alone (without GM Mike Tannenbaum), and genuinely seems to be trying to give the writers some useful information. He's a good guy who cares a lot about football, and I'm as convinced as ever that he's going to grow into an excellent head coach. He just has a plan -- not to give out specifics about anything that could be construed as remotely competitive -- and he's going to stick to it.

Just to make sure everyone's on the same page, there are no veterans participating today or tomorrow. This camp is strictly for rookies and first-year players. There were 40 players in camp -- 10 draft picks, 14 free agents, and 16 tryouts.

The list of undrafted free agents signed by the Jets was made official today, so here it is:

DL Darrell Adams (Villanova), DT/OT Tui Alailefaleula (Washington), WR Maurice Avery (Memphis), DE/LB Craig Bailey (Nevada-Reno), T Ed Blanton (UCLA), LB Michael Brown, Jr. (Howard), LB Blake Costanzo (Lafayette), P/K D.J. Fitzpatrick (Notre Dame), WR Deqawn Mobley (Texas A&M), RB DonTrell Moore (New Mexico), DT Brennan Schmidt (Virginia), S Jamie Thompson (Oklahoma State), LB Will Thompson (Georgia) and QB/WR/RB Stacy Tutt (Richmond).

The players invited for tryouts are:

DB Omowale Dada (Washington State), QB John Davis (N.C. State), DE Tearrius George (Kansas State), DB Rolando Humphrey (Southern Methodist), DB Jovon Johnson (Iowa), LB Anthony Jordan (Toledo), TE Joe Kowalewski (Syracuse), DB Pierre Lee (Virginia State), OL Kevin McAlmont (Western Carolina), LB/DE James Parrish (Kent State), DL Sam Segond (Rutgers), C E.Z. Smith (Penn State), TE Brian Watje (San Jose State), LB Bryan White (Virginia), and WR Wallace Wright (North Carolina).

My observations will have to be limited to what I learned from the locker-room period. A few things I found interesting:

* Brad Smith, the Missouri QB who is working at WR, is nonetheless wearing a QB's number -- the No. 16 that used to belong to Vinny Testaverde.
* John Abraham is gone, but both of his numbers are still here. Third-round linebacker Anthony Schlegel is wearing No. 56, and seventh-round defensive tackle Titus Adams is wearing No. 94.
* Schlegel and Nick Mangold, both of Ohio State, will be engaging interview subjects. When Schlegel was at Air Force before transferring to Ohio State, he wanted to be  a combat controller -- the person who coordinates ground strikes in a military air conflict. When minicamp is over, Mangold goes back to Ohio State -- and back to reality. A 9:30 a.m. physics class awaits.
* Fourth-round RB Leon Washington has a  vice grip for a handshake.  I can't see him fumbling. Actually, if he were to fumble this weekend, I wouldn't be able to see it anyway.

By the way, Jet Boo is the runaway winner in the "name this blog" contest. I'm just not sure if "Bergermeister Meisterblogger" is going to get past management.

Back tomorrow. Tomorrow's another day.

 

 

Pennington Update

By Ken Berger

Just wanted to let everyone know that Chad Pennington spoke with a few of us media types at the Taste of the NFL fundraiser tonight at the South Street Seaport. Check out my story in the paper tomorrow for all the details, but here's a taste (couldn't resist) of what he had to say:

* He's "full go" in his throwing regimen and "throwing every route we have in the playbook." It was our first update on his progress since he started light throwing March 1, and I have to admit, I was surprised.
* He plans to play at his current weight of 229 pounds, about a dime heavier than before. He said his goal is to be "better than what the old Chad Pennington was" and "as strong as I ever was." Clearly, he is making an effort in the weight room to build himself up so he doesn't break down again.
* He's optimistic that he'll be ready for live drills in time for passing camp at the end of the month and full-squad minicamp in mid-June.
* He's excited that he's 31 weeks post-surgery and still has four months to get ready for the season opener. He noted that he started the season opener last year 31 weeks after surgery.
* He knows he'll have to compete with Patrick Ramsey for the starting job, and sounds ready for it.

Come back often for minicamp updates. Later.