Sanchez says knee is feeling good on return to full practice

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The guy with the $50-million right arm barked out a few signals, took the snap from center Nick Mangold and dropped back into the pocket.

He floated a beautiful pass for Jerricho Cotchery along the left sideline, unfazed by the fact that Cotchery had Darrelle Revis blanketing him.

The ball fell squarely into Cotchery's hands, completing a nearly 30-yard strike and drawing a few "oohs" and "aahs" from interested observers during the Jets' Organized Team Activities Thursday.

Mark Sanchez was indeed back, moving extremely well on his surgically repaired left knee during team drills for the third straight day. Further evidence: After that stellar connection, the second-year quarterback sprinted downfield - not quite in his usual helicopter style - to slap a little skin with Cotchery.

"I didn't even think about it," said Sanchez, who sported sleeves on both knees but no brace. "I was ready to chest bump him. I just didn't want to scare [John] Mellody, our trainer."

But for Sanchez, that little moment was a culmination, just the latest indicator that he's made it all the way back from February knee surgery.

It's been a lengthy and sometimes frustrating ordeal for the Jets' franchise quarterback. The Jets didn't want to rush Sanchez back, and forced him to take incremental steps - like initially taking part in individual and position drills - before they finally yanked off the training wheels Tuesday and allowed him to be a full participant in practice for the first time this offseason.

"It's felt great," Sanchez said. "Like we said during this whole rehab process, the big thing is that next day after you try something new, after you really push it one day. How's it going to feel on Wednesday after Tuesday's full practice? It was awesome. I hopped out of bed, came in, got my treatment, and I feel great.

"Now, the mental side is catching up to the physical side and I feel a lot sharper out there [with] X's and O's, calling plays, feeling comfortable in the huddle and really going. So I thought we had a great day today."

Sanchez's grasp of the offense is coming together quite nicely, if you ask Mangold.

"He's much more confident," Mangold said, "much more in-depth with his understanding."

That newfound understanding paired with a healthy left knee, which he admitted limited him a bit last season after he tweaked it Nov. 29 against Carolina, has Sanchez pretty upbeat.

"I feel comfortable standing in and I'm not thinking twice about my knee," he said. "It feels good."