06/05 — The Jets’ first minicamp practice didn’t start off great for Kerry Rhodes, but boy, did he finish well. 

Rhodes, who was hit in the helmet with a football by quality control/special teams assistant Ben Kotwica during an early bag drill, intercepted two long balls in practice to highlight the Green & White’s opening workout of their full-squad minicamp this morning.

Veteran tight end Chris Baker returned to Weeb Ewbank Hall for the team’s mandatory session. Bake skipped all of the club’s OTAs and is not happy with his contract.

“It is what it is,” he said. “I have to be here, so that’s why I came out here today.”

Randy Lange will fill you in later with a complete news story on the situation, so look for that in a few hours. 

The Rhodes show began with a pick of a Kellen Clemens heave intended for wideout David Clowney. Rhodes, a rangy 6'3" playmaker who paced the club last season with five interceptions, played a perfect centerfield on the takeaway. Before Clowney had any chance to get up, Rhodes jumped up high, got his hands on the ball, bobbled it a few times and eventually held on for theft No. 1.

The offensive play of the day was a Chad Pennington hookup with rookie WR Marcus Henry. Fellow rookie Dwight Lowery appeared to have good coverage, but the 6’4” Henry used his five-inch height advantage and leaping ability to come down with the pass. Safety James Ihedigbo was also in the vicinity on Henry's fine practice effort.

One of the more exciting matchups we see on occasion is CB Darrelle Revis on WR Laveranues Coles. They are both phenomenal talents and Revis made a nice breakup of a Clemens toss to LC as No. 87 sprinted across the field on an underneath pattern.

Clemens, who worked with the ones, wasn’t deterred by Rhodes’ first pick and the third-year QB tried the deep middle of the field again later in practice. But his release wasn’t terrific as the ball fluttered and Rhodes easily got the daily double in front of Coles. 

New specials teams coach Kevin O’Dea worked with his punters and coverage units on downing the ball inside the 10-yard line. Corner Drew Coleman got down the field quickly on one effort and actually waited, with his back to the end zone, for a Ben Graham ball to roll to him at the one. Then Chansi Stuckey stuck out a hand to keep a ball heading for the end zone in the field of play on another punt.

The Jets have been successful in getting the ball to RB Thomas Jones out of the backfield. Jones, who caught 28 balls in '07, has been freed up a number of times when the quarterbacks have faked one way, thrown back the other and got TJ the rock with a wall in front of him. New LG Alan Faneca, a perennial Pro Bowler, is light on his feet and his mobility will be a great asset in ’08.

Lowery finished a good morning for the defense with a recovery of a Chris Davis fumble. The quarterbacks even scrambled a few times during 7-on-7 drills as coverage was tight and neither passer was lights-out. Head coach Eric Mangini awarded the decision to his defensive coordinator.

“Good day for Bob [Sutton]," he said. "Bad day for Brian [Schottenheimer].”