Mark Sanchez had a rosy outlook on the offseason.
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If Mark Sanchez doesn’t get fired up, he might just get fired.
Sanchez spoke on a conference call with the media yesterday as the Jets kick-started organized team activities, hoping to rebound from a bad year and potentially save head coach Rex Ryan’s job.
During his call, Sanchez said he is “fired up about this year” — even as the Jets brought in veteran quarterback David Garrard this offseason for competition.
“I totally respect that, as far as I am concerned, I am preparing to play well for this team and do the best I can,” Sanchez said. “I am preparing for my role and am doing everything in my control to be the best quarterback on the roster.”
It may not be his job anymore as new general manager John Idzik has made it clear no one on the roster is going to be handed a starting position, not even Sanchez.
Sanchez will compete with Garrard as well as Greg McElroy and Tim Tebow for the starting job.
He was even rumored to be part of a trade package with Tampa Bay in a deal that would have sent cornerback Darrelle Revis to the Buccaneers. A team source told Metro earlier this week that there was no validity to the trade rumors involving Sanchez.
Sanchez said on the call that he hasn’t spoken with team management about the trade rumor and he didn’t seem ready to justify the talk.
“That is more of an upstairs question,” Sanchez said. “I’m not worried about that.”
Sanchez said on the call he hasn’t spoken with team management about the trade rumor and he didn’t seem ready to justify the talk. He was focused on competing and perhaps justifying his starting role.
“I know Mr. Idzik and Rex are big on competition and that was really the theme heading into this year. I completely understand that,” Sanchez said. “I think it will bring out the best in everybody on the team and everybody has to compete for their spot, so I totally respect that. I’m just concerned with preparing to play well for this team and doing everything that I possibly can, everything in my control, to be the best quarterback on the roster and go play well.”
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer for all your offseason news.
