Erik Ainge told newyorkjets.com that he feels like he’ll have a legitimate chance to compete for the Jets’ starting quarterback job under new coach Rex Ryan.

“I don’t think there will be any politics involved,” the second-year player from Tennessee said. “I don’t want to get into an I-do-this-better-he-does-that-better kind of deal,” Ainge said. “I’m just taking advantage of every opportunity I get. We can all make all the throws — comeback, deep ball, in-cut, slant. It’s the little things that are going to determine who’s going to end up at quarterback — attention to detail, listening to all the new coaches, taking advantage of every opportunity.”

Ainge said he was hindered last year by nagging injuries to his finger and foot. He’ll be in the mix with Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff if the Jets don’t sign a veteran or draft a quarterback.

“I think it’s going to be a great competition between those three guys,” Ryan said. “If something else comes along, then so be it, but we have confidence in those guys. You’ve got to look at the facts, having Brian [Schottenheimer] here still heading up our offense and all these quarterbacks having been in this system — Clemens is in his fourth year, Ratliff’s in his third, Ainge is in his second.

“These guys don’t have to be the solution. They just have to be part of the solution.”