Quarterback coach: Geno was making strides

Jets quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo spoke to re porte rs for t he f irst and only time this summer Tuesday, but he had no interest in discussing Geno Smith and his broken jaw.

“That situation is what it is,” Patullo said. “Fitz is the guy right now.”

As in Ryan Fitzpatrick, who will start the season at quarterback. Patullo said Fitzpatrick’s timing with the wide receivers has gotten better over the three weeks he has been with the starters. With less than two weeks to go before the season opener with the Browns, Patullo said it’s all about ironing out the details now.

“I just want to make sure he’s in sync with everybody. He’s got to have his timing down,” Patullo said. “We’re all on the same page. All the skill groups, the line, we’re all talking the same. We know in and out what we want to do from start- ing this weekend basically to game time. As long as he knows the game plan in and out, we’ll be good to go.”

Patullo would not say whether he was disappointed Smith was injured, but did say the third -year quarterback showed improvement before the injury.

“He was doing well,” Patullo said. “He was really coming along. He came a long way from Day 1 to training camp.

“Just overall from the time he called his f irst play in the huddle in the indoor in a walk-through to his last play. He really came a long way, his whole mechanics, coming to the line, knowing who to ID, all of that stuff.”

Coach Todd Bowles declared Willie Colon the winner of the rightguard competition, an outcome that had been clear for weeks. Colon completely outplayed Brian Winters , Oday Aboushi and Brent Qvale.

“He wanted it more,” Bowles said. “He played like he wanted it more. He was the hungriest and he didn’t bust as many assignments as the rest of them. He played tougher. He played more physical than the rest of them so he’s the starter.”

Bowles said DE Sheldon Richardson likely won’t play Thursday night against the Eagles. Richards on will begin his four- game suspension this weekend, but Bowles said he has seen enough from Richardson and does not want to risk injury. … Bowles said he is considering playing some of the projected starters Thursday night, but had not made a final decision. … WR Jeremy Kerley (concussion) practiced wearing a red no-contact jersey. … The Jets put DT Kevin Vickerson (hamstring) on season-ending IR and waived /injured CB Dashaun Phi l l ips . Those moves, along with putting TE Jace Amaro on the IR, brings the roster to 75. They must cut it to 53 by 4 p.m. Saturday.