Camp Tour: Jones adds talent to Jets O, insurance for Chad

Jets: Five things to know | Judge

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- It's mid-afternoon at the New York Jets practice facility, and everyone, it seems, is beginning to suffer the infernal heat of August -- everyone, that is, but quarterback Chad Pennington ... and hallelujah.

The Jets' new back: 'I'm not here to replace Curtis Martin. I'm Thomas Jones, and I'm here to play football.' (AP)

A year ago Pennington had to compete with three others for the starter's job. But he was coming off his second shoulder surgery in a year and playing for a new head coach and a new staff in a new system.

So the proof was in his play.

And that's exactly what Pennington did. He played. And played. And played. When the season was over he achieved a career first: He started all 16 games -- 17 if you include the playoffs -- without a hiccup.

Now, he's the unchallenged starter, with coach Eric Mangini making the announcement back at the February scouting combine, and as comfortable in this environment as he's been in years.

"I'm glad he did that," Pennington said of Mangini's decision. "I still have to compete and play well, but this helps me approach the season with a little different mindset. I can concentrate on being a better quarterback helping the team to win."

Mangini helped him with the acquisition of a bona fide running back, and trust me, there's no way of overstating the importance of that move. In veteran Thomas Jones, the Jets not only have someone to beef up the league's 20th-ranked rushing game, they also have a valuable ally for their quarterback.

I don't think I need to draw a map here, people. If Jones does what he did in each of the past two years with Chicago -- namely, rush for 1,200 yards and make crucial short-yardage plays -- opponents can't afford to zero in on Pennington and the Jets passing attack.

And that is big because it could reduce the hits -- and the pressure -- on Pennington. In fact, when Pennington ended a drill last weekend with a perfectly thrown touchdown pass to the back of the end zone, he did it with Billy Joel's Pressure blasting from speakers that dot the Jets practice fields.

Perfect.

"After what I've gone through," said Pennington, "I recognize the true fragility of the game. I'm not concerned about trying to plan for the next 10 seasons because you never know when the end is going to come. So what's exciting to me is to be around my teammates, maintain a positive attitude and focus on one day at a time."

If I'm a Jets fan, I like that. Listen, the Jets know they go only as far as Pennington takes them, which last season was to the playoffs. OK, so he didn't exactly light up the scoreboard or your Fantasy Football league. His 17 touchdown passes ranked 17th in the league, and his 16 interceptions were a career high.

But the key number there was zero, as in games missed.

And that's where Jones comes in. Pennington had the unenviable task of trying to run an offense crippled by a rushing attack opponents didn't respect, and for good reason: The Jets' average of 3.5 yards a carry was 30th in a league of 32 clubs.

Still, Pennington hung in there ... game after game after game. Now that Jones is on the scene, Pennington may get his chance to exhale.

"What really excites me about Thomas is his work ethic," Pennington said. "You don't get a physique like that by rolling out of bed."

A former first-round draft pick, Jones was one of Chicago's best and most consistent performers in last year's playoffs. He averaged 5.5 yards a carry, had two 100-yard rushing games, scored four times and was the Bears' best offensive player -- maybe their best player, period -- in Super Bowl XLI.

Sure, Jones has a tough act to follow in Curtis Martin, who retired after sitting out last year. But he doesn't need to be Curtis Martin. He simply needs to be the guy who averaged 1,272.5 yards and 4.2 yards a carry the last two years.

"Look," said Jones, "my thing is I'm just one of the guys trying to help this team win. Ultimately, it's a team sport. I'm not here to replace Curtis Martin. I'm not trying to be the next Curtis Martin. I'm Thomas Jones, and I'm here to play football."

And that's just what the Jets need. They haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher in two years, and Pennington suffered for it. He was hurt in 2005, and one year later had to deal with opponents who attacked the pocket and dared the Jets to run.

In fact, opponents attacked Pennington so hard it once looked like 2005 all over again. I'm talking, of course, of that game against Houston when defensive end Mario Williams clobbered Pennington in the third quarter and drove the quarterback into the Giants Stadium turf.

For a split second it appeared that Pennington re-injured his right shoulder. Then, he popped up, pumped his fist and left the field.

He returned one play later.

"Everyone thought I hurt my shoulder," he said, "but my shoulder was OK. I was just trying to get a breath of air because I'd gotten the wind knocked out of me. That was one of the hardest hits I've ever taken, but I fell on my fist, that pushed the air out of me."

Now, the air is back ... in Pennington, in the New York Jets and in their hopes for a playoff repeat.

Look at it this way: Jones improves the Jets rushing attack, and an improved running game improves the chances of Pennington hanging around. All I know is that the only years where Pennington played 13 or more games the Jets went to the playoffs.

That is no coincidence. It's a call to protect a valuable resource. The Jets may have just done that.