JET NOTES

Jet coach Eric Mangini did not name a starting quarterback for Friday’s preseason opener in Tampa, though Chad Pennington appears to be the leading candidate after another strong practice yesterday morning.

In Mangini’s four-man rotation, it was Pennington’s turn to take the majority of snaps with the first offense.

“We’re going to see obviously how the week goes, where the number of reps fall at the end of the week, and we’ll evaluate it based off that,” Mangini said. “There’s nothing set in stone as of right now.”

Pennington, who threw a TD pass to Brad Smith yesterday, craves the first preseason hit on his twice surgically repaired shoulder.

“I’m actually looking forward to it,” he said. “I want to see how this hard work and this plan we put in place pays off. It’s going to be something that I’m looking forward to, not that I’m going to be standing back there waiting for somebody to hit me. But at the same time, I don’t have any doubts or concerns.”

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Curtis Martin remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list amid published reports he has a degenerative knee condition.

“We’re looking for him to be ready to perform,” Mangini said, noting that he’s seen players recover from the same injury.

Martin underwent arthroscopic knee surgery seven months ago, and the Jets are scouring the trade market in search of a dependable back.

Cedric Houston, Derrick Blaylock and fourth-round pick Leon Washington are the top three backs in camp.

“We know what Curtis means to our organization,” Pennington said. “There’s no secret what he’s meant to our team, especially to me, as a person. All the things I’ve been through in the last three years, he’s been a solid rock for me to lean upon.”

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Mangini continues to call Erik Coleman’s reported appendectomy “an illness.”

“In terms of my policy,” Mangini said, “I won’t discuss the specifics of an injury, but I will say he’s making progress and hope to see him here shortly.”

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The Jets waived Bronx native Deqawn Mobley.