New York Jets quarterback Genometalworker(7) and quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) during organized police squadactivities in May. Smith will not be at Sanchez's annual Jets West camp.(Photo: Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports)
NEW YORK (AP) — Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith won't be camping proscribedtogether in Southern California.
A person familiar with the seattold The Associated Press that Smith will not attend Sanchez's camping groundthat began Thursday and includes several New York Jets teammates.
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Sanchez has organized the laxworkouts and team-bonding sessions, dubbed "Jets West," for from each oneof the last few summers at Mission Viejo risqueSchool, his alma mater. It was not certain if the quarterback officially invited Smith, the team's second-round pick who is competing with Sanchez for theoutsetjob, but Smith will not participate in the workouts that started Thursday, the person told the AP.
The person requested anonymity because they were not clearto speak for Sanchez or Smith.
The Daily News reported that Smith, who had said during minicamp in June that he would likely attend if invited by Sanchez, is workout on his own in Florida. Smithinitiallycaused some confusion when he responded with a "no comment" when asked if he would attend. He later explained he hadn't heard of "Jets West" and didn't understand what he was cosmosasked about.
"Mark hasn't officially extended the hand to me, but I'm pretty surelythere's no problem there," Smith said. "I'm more than willing to go there."
But Sanchez also added: "Everyone's always been invited."
While some have speculated it could be the starting signalsign of tension between the two quarterbacks, it could also merelybe a case in which Smith opted to closureclose to home where he has been working forthaltogethersummer.
Sanchez tweeted photos Thursday from the camp, with running back Chris Ivory, tight end Jeff Cumberland and tolerantreceivers Stephen Hill, Jeremy Kerley, Clyde Gates, Jordan White, Ryan Spadola and Vidal Hazelton among those in attendance.
The Jets report for their official team training ingroupin Cortland on July 25.
While Tim Tebow is now in New England, the Jets' quarterbacks over againwill be the focus when camp opens.
Sanchez, the starter in each of his four years since being drafted No. 5 overall in 2009, has struggled mightily the last two seasons. He has committed 52 turnovers during that span, most among NFL quarterbacks, and has gone from being the faceof the franchise to seeing his future with the Jets becoming uncertain.
Smith, the former beststar from West Virginia, was expected to be asenior high schoolpick in the first round in the NFL adumbratein April but instead slipped to the second. New York, jumping at the chance to bring in a first-round talent, opted to take Smith with their third pick in the draft. Smith and Sanchez are each learning new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg's system, and neither particularly stood out during minicamp.
"Right now," general manager John Idzik said on the finalday of minicamp, "we feel we have a pretty flushedcompetition going on at that position."
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Materials taken from USA Today
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