Jets Quarterback Competition Leaning Toward Mark Sanchez

Mark Sanchez hasn't gotten many chances to show his stuff with the first-team offense at Jets camp thus far, but that may actually be to his advantage. Kellen Clemens has routinely made mistakes throwing against a defense that's way ahead of the offense to this point, and that isn't helping the veteran stake a claim to the starting job.

That's a feeling shared by just about everyone watching the Jets practice. Rich Cimini of the Daily News calls the battle "a virtual dead heat" and Rod Boone of Newsday has Clemens only slightly ahead in the battle with Sanchez. At this point, given the advantage of playing with the first team, Clemens should be way ahead.

After all, if you're going to have a quarterback making mistakes, it might as well be the young one that you've anointed as your franchise player instead of a guy who has fallen short in several chances to stake a claim to the job. The first few days of camp were Clemens' chance to make it seem silly to put a rookie in the starting lineup. He hasn't done that, and it won't be long before it's silly to stick with the veteran.

In his comments to the media following practice, Sanchez sounds ready to get some work with the first 11.

"I'm right in [offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's hip pocket and right next to Kellen as he's calling the plays in the huddle and getting as close to taking those first team reps as possible. As soon as they come my way, that's when you really need to make a move in this whole thing. "

It's understandable that the Jets want to give the impression of an open competition, and that they don't want to throw Sanchez into the teeth of a defense that's already gelling at this point but the Jets can't wait much longer. They need to know if Sanchez is going to be the Day 1 starter, which is in their best interests, and they need him to get as much time with the rest of the starting offense as possible.