In a move that emphasizes the fact that rookie QB Mark Sanchez will have to earn his spot behind center, Rex Ryan announced today that veteran QB Kellen Clemens is in the number one spot on the current depth chart.

“Clemens will be No. 1 and Sanchez will be two, but obviously we’re going to give Sanchez a chance to be with the ones [starters] as well,” Ryan said. “Obviously Mark is going to be given an opportunity to win this job.” – New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan

Sanchez will now have to fight his way up the chart with solid play on both the second squad and with the first team when he is allowed reps with them. I have to say i am very, very happy to see this. I suppose it is a no brainer in some ways to put a rookie behind the veteran but with so much fan and media pressure to start the rookie, I wouldn’t want the team to make this decision without a true evaluation of what Sanchez can and can’t do in this system.

As much as I have been pushing for Sanchez to start, I would not support putting him in over Clemens if he is in fact not the better QB to start. After all, in the words of former Jets head coach Herm Edwards, “You play to win the game!”