08/05 — How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Well, maybe it wasn't Elizabeth Barrett Browning, but Jets head coach Eric Mangini was asked at his midday news conference that recently ended what he likes about his team so far in this training camp and he provided a few answers for fans to chew on.

"I like the progress of the line a lot," Mangini said.

"I like the progress of the new players that we've added, both free agents and rookies.

"I think the defensive backs are understanding the different things they have in their toolbox in terms of their coverages getting better and better.

"I like the way the group collectively has been with each other. You see a lot of guys working after practice with other guys."

This last point is something that every NFL head coach runs into at this time of year, and it probably tells him a lot about how selfish or selfless his team will be heading into the new season. Mangini genuinely seems to like his postpractice scene each day.

"This is an inherently competitive time of year," he said. "Everybody's trying to either maintain a job or get a job. It would be very easy to freeze somebody out and not help him. But it's not that type of environment. Each person is trying to improve his skillset and yet has the willingness to help other guys do the same."

Mangini has mentioned this one-for-all-all-for-one mentality at different position groups. He said it has shown through among his tight ends, which just added Chris Baker back into the mix off the PUP list to Bubba Franks, Jason Pociask, rookie Dustin Keller, A.J. Schable and James Dearth.

The question was if Baker's production, which hit career highs in receptions and yardage last season, will decrease with the additions specifically of Franks and Keller.

"I don't anticipate anybody's production or lack of production being a function of just one or two guys coming in," the coach said. "It's going to be the game plan, its going to be the opportunities, all those things. The key isn't to be focused on individual production, it's to be focused on offensive production. Whatever it is, it is. You have to do that element of your job the best you can.

"That group is another one of those groups that's not me-centered, it's team-centered, which is key."

As for the next big team-centered activity — Thursday night's preseason opener at Cleveland — Mangini didn't provide any hints to how long his starters will go and specifically who the starting QB will be, although he said that's not a function of "trying to trick RAC," who as we all know is Romeo A. Crennel, the Browns head coach and Mangini's former New England coaching housemate.

"A lot of factors go into that," he said. "Postpractice I'll watch tape, spend some time with Mike [Tannenbaum] and the staff and make a decision after that."

Asked if the decision will be made today or Wednesday, he said, "Later," although he said he'd probably notify reporters and fans some time before Thursday's 7:30 p.m. EDT kickoff.

Revis Appearance Today on SNY

Corner Darrelle Revis is set to tape a segment of SportsNet New York's "The WheelHouse" after today's single afternoon practice, which has just begun. The Revis segment is scheduled to air on SNY at 5:30 p.m. today.