New York Jets' Health Improving as 2009 Season Looms Large

There was good news today during the last open practice to the media, as the Jets walking wounded finally climbed off the stretcher and back into the lineup, ready to take on the Giants this Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

For the first time this preseason, and for the majority of camp, the Jets will be able to field their full first team defense, and the majority of their first team offense with only one player sidelined.

Shonn Greene will not participate in the final two preseason games after suffering a rib injury after falling awkwardly on the ball during the Jets second pre-season game on the road in Baltimore.

Although nothing is broken, there is some damage and the Jets won't risk aggravating the injury by sending him out in a meaningless preseason game.  With his spot on the roster guaranteed, there is little point to play this any other way.

There will, however, be two familiar faces on Saturday as Darrelle Revis and Kris Jenkins made their preseason debuts.

Both have been slowed by injuries over the past two weeks, but both today took part in full practice workouts for the second day running with no ailments to their niggling injuries to report.

Both will be key members of a defense that, according to Ryan, will be one of the best in the league, and with the personal they have, there is no reason to suggest otherwise.

There have been several complaints over the preseason about Dwight Lowery and his troubles, having been beat on numerous occasions.  Revis back in the lineup will mean that the opposition QB will not be able to pick on any corner.  Not only is this going to be beneficial as a whole, but we should be able to get a better read on new corner Lito Shepphard.

Over the first two preseason games, the majority of passes have been aimed at the opposite side of the field to where Lito was lining up, and expectantly so.  However, with a top five cornerback in the league coming back, this is a luxury that opponents will no longer be extended.

The Jets defense lived and died with Jenkins last season, and it was no coincidence that when Jenkins started to tire, so did the entire defence.  Mangini overused Jenkins to the extent that he was worn into the ground come Week 12.  With Sione Pouha and Howard Green now in New York and being used, Jenkins should be fresher for longer.

Donald Strickland also returned to practice for the second straight day, Strickland one of a handful of Jets who recorded a sack in the first pre-season game against the St Louis Rams.

Other notes from camp include:

* Vernon Gholston will start in place of OLB Calvin Pace on opening day in Houston despite being non- existent thus far in the two pre-season games.  He will be getting more reps with the first team during practice and in the remaining games, and perhaps that can kickstart his season.

* Jay Feeley is fully recovered from the groin injury that kept him out of the Baltimore game and he will return on Saturday to take care of the kickoff and place-kicking duties.

* Chris Pizzoti, more commonly known around the Jets HQ as "Harvard," will get the first series of the second half against the Giants.  Ryan had tried to get Pizzoti in during the first game against the Rams and the second game against the Ravens, but was unsuccessful. Of course, Pizzoti was released and re-signed in between the two games.