As New York Jets fans brace for a quarterback competition that threatens to burn deep into August, the Jets offensive coordinator is open to ending the drama much sooner.
Marty Mornhinwegtold Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News on Tuesday he'd rather it be over by mid-June, after the Jets wrap organized team activities. As for the public perception that Mark Sanchez versus Geno Smith will remain a news topic until the end of days, he isn't buying it.
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"We don't care what the prevailing thought is," Mornhinweg said. "We only care about our competition here. ... Common sense tells you that you hope it's quick, but this is going to be a full-blown competition. Period."
Mornhinweg emphasized that if Smith or Sanchez clearly owns the day through OTAs, the Jets are prepared to name their starter before training camp.
"Oh, absolutely," Mornhinweg said. "Sure. Absolutely."
It won't be easy for the Jets to make a quick choice. No matter what the team says about "competition," the Jets desperately need a fresh start under center. This isn't Sanchez's job to lose, it's Smith's to win, but the rookie is unlikely to separate himself from a fifth-year veteran -- even this fifth-year veteran -- in a string of practices against his own green-clad teammates.
Marty is talking about a perfect world. Let the man dream.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
