New York Jets

Training camp is still about two months away, but the Jets already seem to be preparing for the possibility that their offseason gamble on LaRon Landry will not work out.

The Jets signed Landry, whose 2011 season with the Redskins was cut short by a left Achilles tendon injury, to a one-year deal in March with the hope he would help solidify the safety position. But Landry's rehab has gone slowly and he has yet to participate in any of the Jets' offseason team activities.

Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum has acknowledged it will be a "challenge" for Landry to be ready for the season opener against the Bills Sept. 9, and the Jets further prepared for Landry's extended absence by signing ex-Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell to a one-year deal last week worth a reported $1.4 million.

In the best-case scenario, the 34-year-old Bell would provide depth behind starters Landry and Eric Smith, but with Landry still ailing and Smith trying to bounce back from a down 2011, Bell could end up starting in place of one of the two players.

Bell was cut by the Dolphins in a salary-cap move despite maintaining a high level of play. He racked up a team-high 107 tackles to go along with an interception and two sacks. Bell, a nine-year veteran who spent his entire career in Miami, was a Pro Bowler in 2009, when he picked off a career-high three passes and added 114 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

The Jets also addressed the safety position in the draft by selecting Josh Bush and Antonio Allen in the sixth and seventh round, respectively. Allen signed a four-year deal with the Jets last Thursday (May 17) while Bush agreed to terms on May 13.

In addition, the Jets may also still bring back popular secondary leader Jim Leonhard, who has suffered season-ending leg injuries in each of the last two years. Leonhard has expressed an interest in returning, and while it was believed the Jets would move on from the banged-up 29 year old, Landry's slow recovery may give the team no choice but to re-sign Leonhard.

• Nose tackle Kenrick Ellis will miss the first three days of Jets training camp as he completes the prison term for his role in an altercation at his alma mater, Hampton University, in 2010.

  Ellis will head to a Virginia prison June 15 and serve 45 days after he entered an "Alford" plea-in which he proclaims his innocence but admits enough evidence exists for the prosecution to convict him-Monday in response to the 2010 misdemeanor assault and battery charges. Ellis was actually sentenced to 179 days in prison, but 89 days were suspended and Virginia law states he only has to serve half the remaining sentence by pleading to a misdemeanor. He will also remain on unsupervised probation for two years following his release.

  Ellis will be released July 29. The Jets report to training camp in upstate New York July 26.

  The Jets knew of Ellis' potential legal woes when they selected him in the third round of the 2011 draft. He originally faced a charge of felony malicious wounding, for which he could have been assigned a jail sentence of as long as 20 years. Dennis Eley, who alleged he suffered facial injuries in the fracas with Ellis, filed a $3 million civil suit Monday (May 21), the same day Ellis' sentence was delivered.

• Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow finally got to perform in front of the public Thursday, during the Jets' first OTA open to the media, and Sanchez confirmed his status as the starting quarterback by outplaying Tebow. Sanchez threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to rookie Stephen Hill during 11-on-11 drills while Tebow was intercepted on consecutive passes in 7-on-7 drills. Tebow also spent time as a punt protector on special teams.

• The Jets signed first-round pick Quinton Coples to a four-year deal worth $8.8 million May 18. The contract also contains a fifth-year team option. The Bergen Record reported the deal is fully guaranteed. Coples, who had 17.5 sacks in his final two years at the University of North Carolina, is expected to start immediately for the Jets and provide an immediate upgrade on an aging and lackluster pass rush.

  According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Coples will get a $4.8 million signing bonus and a base 2012 salary of $390,000. That figure increases to $790,127 in 2013, $1.19 million in 2014 and $1.515 million in 2015. Coples also gets a workout bonus of $75,000.

• The Jets signed free-agent fullback Fui Vakapuna Wednesday (May 23). Vakapuna, 28, has never played in a regular-season game but was a seventh-round pick of the Bengals out of Brigham Young in 2009 and has also spent time with the Cardinals and Colts. Vakapuna will provide competition for starting fullback John Conner.

• Longtime Jets scout Jeff Bauer was named the club's new director of college scouting. Bauer replaces Joey Clinkscales, who left to become the director of player personnel for the Raiders. Bauer was a Midwest scout for the Jets for the last 11 years. He played four years at safety for Iowa State from 1987 through 1990.

Quote To Note:

"Sparano is loud."

—Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis speaking to the New York Post about new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, whose vocal ways have grabbed the attention of offensive and defensive players during the Jets' offseason team activities.

Medical Watch:

No updates.

Franchise Player:

None.

Transition Player:

None.

Unrestricted Free Agents

• QB Mark Brunell, 41, is expected to retire after 18 years in the NFL.

• WR Plaxico Burress had eight touchdown catches in his first NFL action in two-plus years last year but often complained about his role and won't be back.

• S Jim Leonhard is one of the Jets' leaders, but he had a second straight season shortened by injury—this one a torn right patella tendon—and his play was beginning to slip at age 29. If he's back, it'll be on a low-risk deal.

• QB Kevin O'Connell has been released twice by the Jets without ever throwing a pass for the green-and-white. He'll just be a camp body and no threat to Mark Sanchez if he returns.

• CB Donald Strickland had 15 special teams tackles in his second go-around with the Jets but will be slotted for backup duty if he returns.

• RB LaDainian Tomlinson said shortly after the season he was contemplating retirement. If he does return, it won't be with the Jets, who are getting younger behind Shonn Greene.

Restricted Free Agents:

None.

Exclusive Rights Free Agents:

None.

Draft Choices Signed

• DE Quinton Coples (1/16): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

• WR Stephen Hill (2/43): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

• S Josh Bush (6/187); 4 yrs, terms unknown.

• RB Terrance Ganaway (6/202): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

• G Robert Griffin (6/203): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

• S Antonio Allen (7/242): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

Players Re-signed

• PK Nick Folk: UFA; terms unknown.

• LB Aaron Maybin: RFA tendered at $1.26M with first-round pick as compensation); $1.015M/1 yr, $325,000 SB/$75,000 WO.

• NT Sione Pouha: Potential UFA; $15M/3 yrs, $3.5M SB/$9.5M guaranteed.

• LB Bryan Thomas: Potential UFA; $990,000/1 yr, $300,000 guaranteed.

• WR Patrick Turner: Potential RFA; $615,000/1 yr.

Players Acquired

• S Yeremiah Bell: FA Dolphins; $1.4M/1 yr.

• S LaRon Landry: UFA Redskins; $4M/1 yr.

• DE Jay Richardson: FA; terms unknown.

• WR Chaz Schilens: UFA Raiders; $765,000/1 yr, $500,000 guaranteed.

• S DeAngelo Smith: FA; terms unknown.

• QB Drew Stanton: UFA Lions; $1.25M/1 yr, $500,000 SB (subsequently traded Colts).

• QB Tim Tebow (trade Broncos).

Players Lost

• S Gerald Alexander (released).

• CB Marquice Cole: Not tendered as RFA/Patriots; $640,000/1 yr, $25,000 SB.

• TE Matthew Mulligan: Not tendered as RFA/Rams; $1.6M/2 yrs, $200,000 SB.

• FS Brodney Pool: UFA Cowboys; $1.2M/1 yr, $100,000 SB.

• C/G Robert Turner: UFA Rams; $700,000/1 yr.

• LB Jamaal Westerman: Not tendered as RFA/Dolphins; 1 yr, terms unknown.