Todd Bowles will be ready for camp after knee surgery

He highlights a Jets defensive line that is widely considered one of the NFL’s best and includes Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison and first-round pick Leonard Williams.

Of course, that’s nothing new for the Jets, who have been looking for the next Joe Namath for the last 39 years. They are also doing so in northern New Jersey, a location warmer and with more humidity then their previous training camp home about three hours to the north.

Bowles was hired by the Jets in January to replace the fired Rex Ryan.

“I love the way he goes about his business”, quarterback Geno Smith said. “I laugh at it. It’s hilarious”. Ridley is recovering from a knee injury suffered last year with the Patriots. The talented but sometimes-controversial receiver gives New York a legitimate No. 1 target for Smith despite Marshall falling short of 1,000 yards receiving last year for the first time since his rookie season in Denver in 2006. “It doesn’t matter at this point”. I did not see him make one catch during team drills and really only noticed him blocking on a few plays.

“I just hope he’s healthy and he’s able to compete”, Bowles told the Daily News this week. Last season, there were blunders on the field and off for Smith, who is aware the spotlight is shining on him brighter than ever. “I just try to be myself and coach football….”

Bowles and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey are giving Smith the snaps with the starting offense for at least the start of camp – and it’s on the young quarterback to keep it that way.

“I will say that I’ve seen progress, the time we were here in the offseason, as far as his accountability for himself and his accountability to his teammates”, Decker said, “the way he comes to work on a daily basis”.

Bowles’ low-key but direct approach has also left a good impression on his new players. “I think we have a great leader with Todd Bowles on the staff”.

With training camp set to open at the team’s facility – the Jets traveled to SUNY Cortland in Central New York for five of six summers under Ryan – the players will get a chance to truly get familiar with how Bowles wants to do things. Wilkerson is due to make $6.97 million, the amount of his fifth-year option.

There is hope from Wilkerson’s camp that an extension might still be worked out before the regular season, and contracts signed by fellow defensive linemen Cameron Jordan and Corey Liuget could serve as a basis.