E-Boland & Gang Green

This week’s OTAs are under way at Hofstra with some additions to what we saw last week: this year’s rookies, including the Jets six draft picks. As was the case a week ago, Thursday’s practice will be open to the media. Many of the storylines – though not all - this week revolve around the rookies, who did not participate (because of league rules) last week.

Some of what to watch for, besides the obvious Clemens vs. Pennington stuff:

1. Vernon Gholston, of course, and how he looks very early on in his transition to outside linebacker in the 3-4 after playing most of his college career on the line in a 4-3 scheme. The on-field adjustment for Gholston began in early May during the team’s rookie minicamp but this week is his first work in the defense with the veterans. During last week’s practice that was open to the media, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas lined up on the outside while David Harris and Eric Barton were on the inside.

2. David Barrett was opposite Darrelle Revis at one corner last week. Is fourth-round pick Dwight Lowery there this week and if not, where? Also worth watching at that position is the progress of Justin Miller, who ran extensively last week but did not participate in as many drills. He’s being brought back slowly after surgery.

3. The utilization of Dustin Keller. It has almost been written to death – I’m guilty of it, too – that Keller is not the typical tight end, with the Jets moving up to grab Keller in the first round because they had visions of a Dallas Clark-type receiving threat.

4. Speaking of tight ends, does the Bubba Franks show continue? The veteran tight end was the clear star of last Thursday’s practice. It didn’t matter whether the quarterback was Kellen Clemens, Chad Pennington or Brett Ratliff, Franks made the catches he was supposed to make and then some.

5. Everyone’s favorite Division II player, Danny Woodhead, will be at Hofstra. Does he have a role beyond the special teams?

6. Because of the discussion about the quarterbacks and the performance of Franks, overlooked a bit from last week’s OTA was a very solid-looking Chansi Stuckey, the second-year receiver who missed all of last season with an injury. Everyone liked what they saw out of the 6-0, 185-pound Stuckey last preseason before he got hurt.

This is more a sketch than a comprehensive list, so feel free to let me know what you’re looking for out of this week’s OTA and I’ll do my best on Thursday to answer it.

And with that, I’m off to Yankee Stadium to cover more baseball, despite Bob Glauber’s lobbying against NFL writers doing so. A Robert Moses-like power broker, when it comes to office clout, Glauber is not. No complaints, though, as this still beats working.