CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Rex Ryan didn't want to speculate on what would happen if Geno Smith gets off to a shaky start this season. Can't blame him. Why fuel a quarterback controversy? But the New York Jets' coach, in a roundabout way, suggested Smith will be on a shorter leash than last season because of Michael Vick.

Ryan has confidence in Vick, and that changes the dynamic of the quarterback position.

"When you've got two quarterbacks that know the system, that have been part of it, obviously that's a big thing," Ryan said Tuesday. "Last year, no offense to Matt (Simms) -- Matt did a tremendous job for us -- but here's a young guy coming in, you've got a young starter, a rookie starter, and basically a rookie backup. I don't know if you'd call that an ideal quarterback situation.

"But what we have now might be considered ideal."

The Jets were supposed to have an experienced quarterback last season, but Mark Sanchez suffered what would become a season-ending injury in the preseason. Smith won the job by default, with Simms moving up to the No. 2 role.

It was hardly ideal.

You know what's really ideal? Tom Brady ... Peyton Manning ... Aaron Rodgers, et al.