FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Observations from the New York Jets' fifth OTA (organized team activity), the second open to the media:

1. Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, limited throughout the spring as he recovered from a broken leg, participated in team drills for the first time. He took reps with the backups, demonstrating a strong grasp of the offense -- which is what you'd expect from a guy who spent three years in Chan Gailey's system. Todd Bowles said he'd like to see more velocity from Fitzpatrick, but he expects that to happen as he veteran quarterback rebuilds his stamina. Fitzpatrick had an interception on a ball that was batted at the line of scrimmage. His highlight was a nice pass to Shaq Evans on a rollout to his right, delivering the ball in a tight window a nanosecond before cornerback Darrin Walls arrived on the scene. Evans turned and ran for a long touchdown.

2. It wasn't a particularly crisp day for quarterback Geno Smith, and that's being kind. He struggled with his accuracy from the outset, even in positional drills against "air." He was a split-second late in delivering the ball on some routes, which can be expected with a new offense. At times, his ball placement was off, even on completed passes. He also took a delay-of-game penalty with under 30 seconds remaining in a two-minute drill -- a big no-no. Smith had a funny, self-deprecating quote after practice, one that could apply to his day: "We always talk about having short memories as quarterbacks. Mine has to be one of the shortest in history, just to put some of the things behind me." He was referring to his first two seasons, of course, not just one OTA practice.

3. A quick thought on Bowles' latest comments on the quarterback situation, which contradicted Chan Gailey's remarks from last week: It's deja vu all over again. Didn't the Jets have the same competition/non-competition issue last season with Rex Ryan and John Idzik? Come on, fellas, it's not that hard to deliver a message.

4. The two-field practice regimen is a great idea, one that Bowles adopted from his previous boss, Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians. He splits the team into starters/key reserves and everybody else, allowing more players to get more reps. It eliminates idle time for players and it allows the coaches to do more teaching and more evaluating than in a conventional setup. The only downside is that it's hard for beat writers to see what's happening on the No. 2 field, far off in the distance. Such problems we have.

5. Oday Aboushi worked exclusively with the starters at right guard. Incumbent Willie Colon, still getting over some knee soreness, received what he jokingly referred to as "an old man's rest day." One thing about Bowles: He likes to do a lot of rotating, especially on the offensive line. It's not unusual to see two or three starters working together with two or three backups. One interesting note: Second-year guard Dakota Dozier got some work at center, behind Nick Mangold. It seems like they're holding auditions for the backup job.

6. First-round pick Leonard Williams worked with the first- and second-team defensive lines. Don't read too much into that because, as you may have heard, the two best linemen weren't in attendance. Muhammad Wilkerson is skipping voluntary workouts because of a contract dispute and Sheldon Richardson is staying away on some days because ... well, just because. It's hard to get a good read on Williams in non-contact drills, but he has impressed the coaches with his maturity in the classroom and overall approach to the job. That's what you want to hear about a rookie.

7. One of the best parts of these OTAs is watching Darrelle Revis cover Brandon Marshall. They're highly competitive players, and it shows up even on the practice field. In a spirited two-minute drill, Revis "tackled" Marshall near the first-down marker, resulting in a controversial spot -- one that fired up Revis and Marshall and players from both units. Bowles said he likes their "zest for the game."