Matt Simms does salsa dance and Victor Cruz is down with it (VIDEO)

Matt Simms’ rendition of the salsa may not have measured up with Victor Cruz's trademark celebration, but the Giants receiver won't take anything away from his rival Jet player's fun.

Even the ref had to drop his head and laugh at Simms' stiff moves after throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass Friday night at MetLife Stadium.

Cruz has a history of getting a little miffed when opposing players mock his salsa dance, but apparently Simms is free to hip shake whenever he wants. Maybe it's because the two Jersey guys occasionally work out together. 

"That's my guy," Cruz said. "Me and him, we train a little bit in the offseason together. He throws me a couple passes here and there when I need a quarterback over there with my trainer. He's good. He's a good dude."

Simms claims it was a spur-of-the-moment celebration and was not meant as an insult to his workout partner.

Or maybe it unintentionally was.

Sanchez: I'll 'absolutely' win Jets QB competition

In between water balloon toss and big dinners with his wide receivers during workouts at his old high school in Southern California, Mark Sanchez sounded more than confident that he will win the New York Jets quarterback competition against rookie Geno Smith. So sure in fact, Sanchez said he'll "absolutely" win the job.

 "When it comes down to a competition, I just put my money on myself," Sanchez told The New York Daily News after Friday's workout. "And bet on myself and go play and go win the job. So if that’s what it’s going to be like it’s been clear that’s what it is, alright let’s go."

Sanchez will be fighting for his quarterback life when he heads to camp with the rookies July 22 in Florham Park before heading to Cortland. But said he holds no grudge against Smith for skipping his annual Jets West passing camp in his hometown.

“I don’t hold it against any of the guys that can’t make it,” Sanchez said Friday after workouts on his old field of glory.

 “I probably should have said that right away. There are no hard feelings about anything like that. Greg (McElroy’s) not here. (Matt) Simms isn’t here. Guys are on vacation. Some guys are going and getting married. They’re doing stuff. There’s plenty of other things that they could be doing.”
 
Sanchez invited all of the offensive skill position players, including Smith, to participate — as he has done for the past few summers.

Smith was strangely vague and non-committal about joining Sanchez the rest of the players.
 
"If they can make the sacrifice and be here, awesome," Sanchez said. "If they can’t, (it’s) totally fine. And I would never hold a grudge against anybody who’s not here. But we’ve (Tim) Tebow here. We’ve had (Mark) Brunell here. We’ve had (Kevin) O’connell. So it’s not like I don’t invite those guys. They’re more than welcome to come and we’ll invite them every year."
 
Smith opted to work out in Florida rather than make the trip to California and take part in weight lifting, playbook review and on-field sessions with 12 other teammates that included running back Chris Ivory, tight ends Kellen Winslow Jr, Jeff Cumberland and Konrad Reuland and receivers Jeremy Kerley, Stephen Hill, Jordan White, Clyde Gates, Vidal Hazelton, Thomas Mayo and Ryan Spadola.

Two other quarterbacks — McElroy and Simms — also skipped the voluntary workouts.
 
"It just doesn’t look like he’s going to come," Sanchez said about whether Smith made it clear to him that he wouldn’t attend. "I don’t want to make it bigger than it is. It’s really not a big deal. If he’s not going to make it, he’s not going to make it."
 
Smith’s absence won’t necessarily put him behind in the competition, but it couldn't hurt. It’s clear that the players in attendance believe there’s a tangible benefit to spending the time to build a relationship with his new teammates in a low-key atmosphere.

 
"He just couldn’t make it," Hill said. "That’s what I’ve heard. I didn’t actually get a chance to speak with him. It would have been good for him to be here, but I know he’s working back in Florida. He’s doing what he has to do. He’ll be ready for camp."
 
"It would have been great to have Geno and all of the quarterbacks out here," Reuland said. "The more , the better. However, I don’t think it’s a make it or break it type of thing. It’s still going to be camp as usual. No one’s going to win a spot based on what they do out here."

Will the competition with Smith be closer than expected?

"We'll see," Sanchez said. "I hope not."

 

GM John Idzik: Jets will have 'open competition' at quarterback

The day after the New York Jets released Tim Tebow, general manager John Idzik indicated that any one of the five remaining quarterbacks will get a shot to be the Week 1 starter. With one down, that leaves Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, David Garrard, Greg McElroy and Matt Simms to grab the top quarterback spot.

"It’s an open competition," Idzik said on ESPN radio’s Mike & Mike show on Tuesday. "It’s an open competition not only at quarterback, but at all positions on our roster. That will hold not only throughout the entire year, but hold as long as I’m here. Mark’s in the competition. We fully expect that it will help him get better. It will help David get better…. It will help Greg. It will help Matt Simms. It will certainly help Geno. I think the more quality, depth and competition you can bring in at the position, it makes everybody better. That certainly includes Mark."

Sanchez, last year's flawed and unpopular starter, is not expected to be released before training camp opens, according to sources.

Tebow was unceremoniously kicked to the curb Monday —  even after Idzik was humming that you can't have too many quarterbacks tune to the press. Although the move seemed inevitable.

"We had six quarterbacks," Idzik said. "Something had to give. We thought it was appropriate at that time to release Tim."

"We just entered this offseason open-minded and said, 'Let’s bring Tim in and let him get in our offseason program and take it from there,'" Idzik added.

The Jets' new GM said that the Jets fielded calls on possible trade opportunities involving Tebow (“There’s a lot of kicking tires so to speak,” he said. “We’ll field those calls. If it’s not in the best interest of the Jets, we’ll just hold firm.”), but nothing materialized.

Oddly, Idzik said that he didn't even ask Tebow to change positions.

"While I was here, he was slated as a quarterback," Idzik said.

  

It was suspected by everyone that Tebow’s days were numbered regardless of whether or not the Jets drafted Smith.

Smith, meanwhile, will inherit the glaring tabloid Kleig lights after the Tebow fiasco.

"If you’re a first-round quarterback—first-round any position – the spotlight is a little bit brighter," Idzik said. "Him coming in as a second rounder, perhaps it’s a little dim, but being that he’s in the New York market, he’s at a high profile position, I think he’s going to be center stage regardless.”

Idzik said that Sanchez, whose days as the starter appear in jeopardy, has been "even keeled" throughout this process.

"I told him that I really admire how he’s handled some very difficult situations," Idzik said. "He’s focused. He’s energized. He’s been very positive."

In other words, get ready for another dog and pony show in Jets camp. 

Phil Simms' son Matt signs with rival Jets

To many New York Giants fans, Matt Simms — the son of Big Blue quarterback legend Phil Simms— has crossed over to the Dark Side after signing on with the New York Jets.  Yesterday, the undrafted Simms was signed by Rex Ryan and his Gang Green after giving Simms a tryout at their three-day rookie minicamp.

The younger Simms lives in New Jersey and was a star at the state and national high school powerhouse Don Bosco Prep before heading on to an unremarkable college career.

Simms played at Tennessee, where he lost the starting job in 2010 and made only two starts in 2011.

"With Simms, the thing that you're impressed with immediately is how he can throw throw the football," Ryan said.  "I mean, he definitely has a great arm.  he can really spin it.  The thing you don't see is obviously how he is against the rush and all that.

"I followed him.  I knew him at Tennessee.  [He] kind of had ups-and-downs when he was there.  But the kid has the arm talent.  Obviously, he's got the pedigree."

Simms' dad Phil played for the Giants from 1979-93 and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXI after having an almost flawless game against the Denver Broncos.

The Jets meanwhile continue to stockpile quarterbacks.  Simms will join Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Greg McElroy and G.J. Kinne on the QB roster.

"The game (is) going to take you for a loop every now and then," said Simms.  "I just want to keep playing football.  It's as simple as that.  I just want to keep playing the game that I've been playing since I was a child."

Simms' older brother Chris played in the NFL before a serious injury hindered his career.