The future is now in New York
The Jets have seen enough of rookie Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens to determine a starter — and their choice is Sanchez, FOXSports.com has learned.
Coach Rex Ryan informed the QBs of the decision Wednesday morning.
Despite a rough start against the Ravens in his last preseason game, Sanchez never lost his cool and battled back. The team has been impressed with his command of the huddle and the offense. Sources say the team has been impressed with how much he has not looked like a rookie. Drafted out of USC, Sanchez has gone 6-of-12 in two preseason games, with one touchdown pass and one interception. Clemens, in his fourth season, is 9-of-14 for 84 yards in the preseason. He also has one score and one pick. Entering his fourth season with the Jets after being a second-round pick in 2006, Clemens also had a solid but unspectacular camp, but threw 12 interceptions compared to the rookie's five.
A former Ravens coordinator, Ryan took over as coach in the offseason after the departure of Eric Mangini. Ryan said early in training camp that he would like to have made a decision on his starter by the Jets' third preseason game, and he apparently saw enough from the two quarterbacks through two games. The Jets signed their franchise quarterback to a five-year deal that could be worth up to $60 million, including $28 million guaranteed, just a few weeks after the draft. Sanchez was already being touted as the new face of the franchise and it appeared it was his job to lose after that.
Sanchez had a sizzling NFL debut Aug. 14, when he came in with 28 seconds left in the first quarter, completed a 48-yard pass to David Clowney on his first snap and engineered an early scoring drive in New York's 23-20 loss to St. Louis.
He struggled against the Ravens in the team's 24-23 defeat at Baltimore, but Ryan said he expected both quarterbacks to have their problems against the defense he helped build during the previous 10 years as an assistant and then coordinator. Sanchez forced a pass on the second play as he was hit by Ray Lewis, and Haloti Ngata rumbled 25 yards for a score. His second pass was almost picked off by Lewis, who dropped the ball, but Sanchez settled down after that.
Ryan made it clear after the team drafted Sanchez that he wouldn't be afraid to start a rookie quarterback, particularly after watching Joe Flacco lead the Ravens to the AFC championship last season.
The Jets traded up in the draft to acquire the fifth overall pick from Cleveland and Mangini. New York jumped at the chance to select Sanchez, who was considered one of the top prospects in the draft despite a lack of experience. Sanchez went 14-2 as a starter with the Trojans, leading them over Penn State in the Rose Bowl in January. The Jets were comfortable with Sanchez's ability, putting him through a private workout and holding a classroom session in a hotel room at the owners' meetings in California in March.
The Jets have seen enough of rookie Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens to determine a starter — and their choice is Sanchez, FOXSports.com has learned.
Coach Rex Ryan informed the QBs of the decision Wednesday morning.
Despite a rough start against the Ravens in his last preseason game, Sanchez never lost his cool and battled back. The team has been impressed with his command of the huddle and the offense. Sources say the team has been impressed with how much he has not looked like a rookie. Drafted out of USC, Sanchez has gone 6-of-12 in two preseason games, with one touchdown pass and one interception. Clemens, in his fourth season, is 9-of-14 for 84 yards in the preseason. He also has one score and one pick. Entering his fourth season with the Jets after being a second-round pick in 2006, Clemens also had a solid but unspectacular camp, but threw 12 interceptions compared to the rookie's five.
A former Ravens coordinator, Ryan took over as coach in the offseason after the departure of Eric Mangini. Ryan said early in training camp that he would like to have made a decision on his starter by the Jets' third preseason game, and he apparently saw enough from the two quarterbacks through two games. The Jets signed their franchise quarterback to a five-year deal that could be worth up to $60 million, including $28 million guaranteed, just a few weeks after the draft. Sanchez was already being touted as the new face of the franchise and it appeared it was his job to lose after that.
Sanchez had a sizzling NFL debut Aug. 14, when he came in with 28 seconds left in the first quarter, completed a 48-yard pass to David Clowney on his first snap and engineered an early scoring drive in New York's 23-20 loss to St. Louis.
He struggled against the Ravens in the team's 24-23 defeat at Baltimore, but Ryan said he expected both quarterbacks to have their problems against the defense he helped build during the previous 10 years as an assistant and then coordinator. Sanchez forced a pass on the second play as he was hit by Ray Lewis, and Haloti Ngata rumbled 25 yards for a score. His second pass was almost picked off by Lewis, who dropped the ball, but Sanchez settled down after that.
Ryan made it clear after the team drafted Sanchez that he wouldn't be afraid to start a rookie quarterback, particularly after watching Joe Flacco lead the Ravens to the AFC championship last season.
The Jets traded up in the draft to acquire the fifth overall pick from Cleveland and Mangini. New York jumped at the chance to select Sanchez, who was considered one of the top prospects in the draft despite a lack of experience. Sanchez went 14-2 as a starter with the Trojans, leading them over Penn State in the Rose Bowl in January. The Jets were comfortable with Sanchez's ability, putting him through a private workout and holding a classroom session in a hotel room at the owners' meetings in California in March.
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