PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Jet GM Mike Tannenbaum, during a conference call yesterday to speak about the team’s trading of DE John Abraham to the Falcons for the 29th overall draft pick, kept using the word “flexibility.”

The more he used it the more it made you wonder how serious the Jets are about packaging their two first-round picks (Nos. 4 and 29) to move up in the first round in a trade for the Saints’ No. 2 overall pick, where they would select a franchise quarterback – Matt Leinart.

The Jets have a total of eight draft choices – two No. 1s, three picks in the top 35 and two No. 4s.

“We have flexibility not only in the draft but in free agency, and we’re very comfortable with where we sit,” Tannenbaum said, referring to the Abraham trade. “Certainly, there are some scenarios out there. I won’t rule anything in or rule anything out, starting with the fourth pick, the 29th pick and the 35th pick. We could move up or move back if we feel that’s appropriate.”

As for why the team never offered Abraham, only 27, a long-term contract, Tannenbaum indicated that it was part economics, part the team not thinking it could get enough bang for its buck.

Abraham, in a separate conference call yesterday, said he had no ill will toward the Jets despite being unhappy about being franchised the last two offseasons.

“It ended with me being in Atlanta,” he said. “I’m where I want to be so, so I can’t get mad and hold grudges.”

As for Abraham’s contention that former GM Terry Bradway lied to him about giving him a long-term deal if he played all 16 games in 2005, Abraham said, “He did say he was going to get me a long-term deal and I did, so it really wasn’t a lie. I just got a long-term deal from another team.”