Coles back with Jets, where he plans to end career

CORTLAND, N.Y. - Laveranues Coles is back where he wants to be, with the team that gave him his start.

So in his mind, there's no better place to eventually call it a career, which likely will happen not long after Santonio Holmes returns from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.

"There ain't no 'want to retire as a Jet.' This is it," the 11-year veteran said Monday after the Jets' first training-camp practice. "This is the last hurrah. The boat stops here, trust me . . . I wouldn't have it no other way. I think if I walked away from somewhere else, I think I was going to sign a one-day deal here anyway just to retire as a Jet.

"It was going to end this way anyway, regardless. Whether they wanted me back here or they didn't, I still was coming back. They didn't have a choice. It was one of those things where I was walking back through these doors whether they wanted me or not."

Coles, 32, is very aware of the circumstances. When he met with the Jets' hierarchy last week before he signed, Rex Ryan was his usual honest self, telling Coles that once Holmes is eligible to play, the Jets won't have much use for him.

It's the cold, hard truth, but something Coles is completely on board with.

"I'm a realist," he said. "I look at things the way it is. Of course, they have a great core without me. The circumstances call for them to bring somebody else in like myself, a veteran guy, to try and help out while he's gone. Coach Rex was straightforward and honest with me and said that it's something we'll deal with and approach when the time comes at four weeks when Santonio comes back.''

Ryan said: "He could get cut. He could make the Pro Bowl. But I was up front with him. We have Santonio Holmes . . . We can't wait until he comes back, one of the most explosive players in the game, and clearly we'll have a spot for him when he comes back.

"I'm not big on not speaking what I believe to be the truth, so I just told him what I believe to be the truth."

David Clowney has his old No. 87, so Coles initially wore 85 Monday, but he didn't think it looked good enough on him and changed to Keyshawn Johnson's old No. 19. Whatever number he wears, he's cognizant the end of the road is near.

"I understand the situation that I'm in, so it's good for me," Coles said. "It's fun. That's the main thing. I wanted to make sure it was fun when I did it . . . But as far as just being ready to play football, I've got a long ways to go."