To New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, rookie Geno Smith's absence at his Jets West camp "is no big deal." To Jets tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., it might be a bigger deal.
Winslow told the New York Daily News on Friday that his goal is to record 100 receptions this season. That may be why he's in Mission Viejo, Calif., attending Sanchez's "Jets West" camp.
Winslow is busy building a connection with Sanchez. The same cannot be said for his connection with rookie Geno Smith.
"I'm behind in the offense," Winslow told the Daily News. "I had a three-day minicamp. So I got to catch up. This is good for me learning the offense and seeing what Mark's about and how he handles himself. I'm real impressed."
According to the newspaper, Sanchez said he's not in the least bit offended that Smith is not at his camp.
"I don't hold it against any of the guys that can't make it," Sanchez said Friday after workouts at his old high school in Southern California. "I probably should have said that right away. There are no hard feelings about anything like that. Greg (McElroy's) not here. (Matt) Simms isn't here. Guys are on vacation. Some guys are going and getting married. They're doing stuff. There's plenty of other things that they could be doing."
But did the fact that Sanchez failed to clarify his "no-grudges" position insinuate bad blood between the two quarterbacks?
According to the Daily News, Smith was cryptic on multiple occasions when asked whether he was going to attend Sanchez's camp.
The skill players in attendance, including running back Chris Ivory, Winslow and fellow tight ends Jeff Cumberland and Konrad Reuland, and wide receivers Jeremy Kerley, Stephen Hill, Jordan White, Clyde Gates, Vidal Hazelton, Thomas Mayo and Ryan Spadola.
They expressed a preference for Smith being at the event.
"He just couldn't make it," Hill told the Daily News. "That's what I've heard. I didn't actually get a chance to speak with him. It would have been good for him to be here, but I know he's working back in Florida. He's doing what he has to do. He'll be ready for camp."
"It would have been great to have Geno and all of the quarterbacks out here," Reuland was reported as saying. "The more , the better. ..."
Which may be why Sanchez is not taking offense to the second-round draft pick's absence.
"It just doesn't look like he's going to come," Sanchez said about whether Smith made it clear to him that he wouldn't attend. "I don't want to make it bigger than it is. It's really not a big deal. If he's not going to make it, he's not going to make it."
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