05/31 — The OTA practice ended not long ago. Because it is the first time reporters have gotten to talk with the Jets' vets in a while, today was big-name day. First the audio media got RB Thomas Jones for five minutes. Then the cameras and microphones shifted to Chad Pennington while the print media chatted with Jones. Then the print folks moved over to Chad.

My good friend Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post — I like to call him Marko — is always good for an irreverent opening question. "How's shoulder rehab coming?" Cannizzaro asked. Pennington smiled because, of course, for the first time in three off-seasons, he was not furiously rehabbing his right shoulder.

But all reporters were waiting for Justin Miller, who would be having his first news conference since being charged with third-degree misdemeanor assault. He went to a spot along the sideline of the upper field and was engulfed by media members. He comported himself well without saying too much. He offered words that any of us might find helpful when he said, "Each day I'm still learning to get better."

Said one writer who wished to remain anonymous: "Justin was OK, although he was a little more evasive than he needed to be, I thought. But he handled himself well. It's a very tough tightrope you have to walk in a situation like that."

A few more notes from the second half of today's OTA practice:

Adrien Clarke started at left guard with the first offense in place of the absent Pete Kendall. Adrian Jones also worked at LG.

Marques Tuiasosopo bounced back nicely from adversity. On one play, free agent C Andrew Wicker, who bears a resemblance to Nick Mangold, put a shotgun snap over Tuiasosopo's head, forcing the QB to fall on the ball.

One play later, "Tui" ducked under center to take Wicker's direct snap and dumped the ball off to Leon Washington, who was being single-covered by safety Rashad Washington out of the backfield. L-Wash caught the on-the-money pass and sped away from R-Wash.

Speaking of Mangold, the starting center did not practice but did a lot of riding on the exercycle at the far end of the upper field for unspecified reasons. We should get more on that Friday from the coach. Wade Smith was the first-team C.

Mike Nugent pinwheeled a 55-yard field goal over the crossbar with a little room to spare under some pressure during special-teams work. Driving 55 is significant: Only two Jets have ever hit field goals that long. Here are the four longest FGs in franchise history: