Next on their agenda will be to figure out the quarterback situation. To the players, their message to the front office is simple: Take Cris Carter’s advice.

According to the New York Daily News, “several key players and members of the organization” are pushing the Jets to pursue another signal-caller — namely Peyton Manning.

“Come on. That’s a no-brainer,” a Jets source said. “If you have a chance to get a healthy 36-year-old Peyton Manning and you don’t do it, then you’re stupid. If I could get a healthy 36-year-old Peyton Manning, then, hell yeah, I would trade Sanchez.”

There are reportedly concerns over Mark Sanchez; in particular, his leadership ability, practice habits, the coddling he’s received over the past few seasons — and, apparently, laziness.

“We have to bring in another quarterback that will make him work at practice,” said one player. “He’s lazy and content because he knows he’s not going to be benched.”

Although they feel winning a Super Bowl with Manning is certainly achievable, the same can’t be said for Sanchez, mostly due to a lack of confidence after taking an absolute beating this year.

“Everybody got down on the quarterback,” a Jets source said. “But they weren’t looking at the situations we were putting him in. I don’t think he’s as bad as people are making him out to be. When the —- started snowballing and he lost confidence, he never recovered. Then, you saw him making one stupid throw and one stupid mistake after another.”

The criticism of the 25-year-old is no surprise, as he’s been blasted by nearly everybody with an opinion following the Jets’ recent tailspin.

In most aspects, it’s justified. Sanchez showed significant regression in his third year, typically the time when a quarterback is supposed to blossom. Even though he accounted for 32 total touchdowns, he completed just 56.7% of his passes, tossed 18 interceptions, and finished with a mediocre rating of 78.2.

Obviously, those numbers would be much improved if Manning were under center in New York, though that’s not something one should count on happening.

“I don’t think that he’ll come here,” a member of the Jets organization said. “We have to change the perception of our organization. We’re not the organization that players said they wanted to play for a year or two ago. We’re starting to come across a little flaky. We talk the talk. We don’t back it up. We’re out of control. There’s no discipline. It’s a mess right now.”

The hiring of Sparano, which is expected to become official Wednesday, signals that Rex Ryan wants to get back to the ground-and-pound philosophy that helped earn his squad two consecutive trips to the AFC Championship game.

If that is indeed the case, the contingent of disgruntled players (and fans alike) will just have to tough it out with Sanchez for at least another year, hoping he re-establishes himself as the ‘Sanchize’ under new tutelage.

Unlike last time, however, LT acknowledged that the whispers are getting louder — and could soon become reality.

Per ESPNNewYork.com, Tomlinson, appearing on XX1090 in San Diego, admitted that he’s considering retirement for the first time in his professional career.

“I am contemplating retirement,” the New York Jets running back told XX1090 in San Diego. “That’s what I told my coaches and told my agent and everybody. That’s exactly what it is. This is the first time in my playing career that I’ve actually honestly thought about this may be it for me. That’s kind of where I am right now.”

Tomlinson is set to become a free agent, and while he’d like to return to New York for a third season, the Jets want youth at the position, making the 32-year-old obsolete.

With Gang Green or not, Tomlinson is still motivated by “the hope of a championship,” and feels he has a lot left to offer a prospective team.

“Yeah, I definitely think so,” he told the radio station, on whether he can still help a team. “For one, my experience in the passing game, and I think I’ve proven this year that I’m still viable out of the backfield in one-on-one matchups and things like that. I still get open. I think the passing game, a lot of teams are throwing the ball these days and I think I’d help people a lot in the passing game.”

Marred by injury and an offensively inconsistent offense, Tomlinson experienced the worst season of his career in 2011, rushing for just 280 yards on 75 carries, his lone touchdown of the year coming on a reception. He was demoted, taking a backseat to Shonn Greene as the team’s feature back.

Consider this: LT’s highest rushing output of the year came in Week 17 … and it was 56 yards.

Yeah, it’s been that bad for the future Hall of Famer.

One day later, and the saga continued on. This time, a former Jets QB fired back at his fellow signal-caller.

Erik Ainge, who last played with the Jets in 2010, called out McElroy on Thursday, saying he’s an “entitled brat” for publicly airing more of Gang Green’s dirty laundry.

“Someone tell McElroy to keep his mouth shut about the NYJ “Locker Room” speaking in the media about your teammates, entitled brat!” Ainge tweeted.

Though Ainge, who retired after three years in New York, is pseudo-contradicting himself here, he’s not wrong to criticize McElroy, a rookie seventh-round pick who spent the season on injured reserve.

McElroy displayed poor judgment in adding more fuel to an ever-increasing fire, piling on with his thoughts while every aspect of the franchise is already being put through the ringer — from the coaches all the way to the fans.

He may be more in tune — at least compared to Ainge — with the happenings of the locker room, but all McElroy did was confirm the Jets are indeed a team divided right now. Then again, I think that was made fairly obvious after the season-ending waterworks from Rex Ryan.

It’s getting repetitive with the Jets this week, with each new headline casting them in a negative light. Right now, they’re the talk of the NFL like Kim Kardashian is the talk of Hollywood.

Until the playoffs finally begin, the dissension and disarray amongst the Jets, which was set off by Santonio Holmes‘ no-show in Miami, is simply entertainment fodder to Tom Brady and the rest of the football world.

What if I told you that Brady, he of the Bill Belichick hush-hush variety, again opened up about his disdain for Gang Green?

Go on, right? As you wish.

According to the NY Daily News, Brady appeared on Boston radio station WEEI on Tuesday and was asked if he enjoyed watching the recent collapse of the Jets, who went from flying high to crashing and burning in a matter of weeks.

Simply put, yes. Yes, he did. Several times over.

“There’s a few websites I like where they have all the New York papers so I read a few of those articles,” Brady said in the paid appearance. “I would be remiss not to. They had a tough year and I’m glad we beat them twice. That was a huge key to our season, that win against the Jets in the Meadowlands. We’ll see them next year. They’re not going anywhere. I’m sure they’ll come back with just as much confidence next year.”

You don’t need a master’s in psychology to read between those lines; sweeping the Jets this year gave him immense satisfaction, and likely a feeling of payback after New York embarrassed the heavily-favored Pats in the playoffs last January.

The “confidence” bit may have also been a jab at coach Rex Ryan, whose brash bravado seemed to work against his squad this season, as they failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in his tenure.

It’d be just like the Jets, as chaotic as the organization is right now, to respond. Only they’d be doing so from their couches, while Brady chases his fourth Super Bowl ring.

Just how it’s always been.

Now it appears his fellow fanatics are fanning the flames.

According to a New York Daily News poll, 55% of Jets fans want to rid themselves of Fireman Ed, whose real name is Edwin Anzalone.

Anzalone, a New York city firefighter and longtime season-ticket holder, is generally a hit or miss icon amongst the fanbase. There are those who appreciate his enthusiasm and passion toward the team, and others who find his act a bit pretentious.

Evidently, the latter is where the general consensus lies.

It just won’t be with Gang Green, who are likely one and done with the former Super Bowl hero.

Per ESPNNewYork.com, Burress, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent, will not return to the Jets in 2012.

The Jets signed Plax to a one-year deal last July, but are looking to get “younger and faster” at receiver. Burress will be 35-years-old before next season begins, so he obviously doesn’t meet the criteria.

General manager Mike Tannenbaum wouldn’t provide a clear answer on Plaxico’s future with the organization, instead choosing to dance around the topic.

“He did a great job for us,” Tannenbaum said. “I thought his blocking, he did a really good job with that. Obviously, he helped us in the red zone. Was our passing game perfect? Obviously, it wasn’t, but I wouldn’t just put it on Plaxico. And he was a real pro. He was very insightful on the teams we were playing. I enjoyed picking his brain. He’s really an interesting guy and he was a really good teammate. Free agency is a couple of months away, so we’ll look at everything.”

Don’t be fooled by Tannenbaum’s praise; “we’ll look at everything” is doublespeak for “we want to move on.”

To be fair, Burress deserves a bit of credit. After nearly two years behind bars, many (including a certain outspoken former Jet) didn’t think he’d make it through the season unscathed. Not only did he prove the doubters wrong, Plax was a key factor behind the Jets’ top-ranked redzone offense, where most of his team-high eight touchdown grabs occurred.

It wasn’t a stellar campaign, but Burress probably did enough to earn another short-term contract, and for the first time since 2004 won’t be playing in the Big Apple.

During the final two minutes of Sunday’s 19-17 defeat in Miami, Holmes was shown the bench after reportedly arguing — on two separate occasions — with teammates in the huddle.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson said the $45 million receiver displayed a demeanor “throughout the game” that didn’t sit well with the rest of his offensive cohorts, and “they said something to him about it.”

This evidently triggered a shouting match between Holmes and right tackle Wayne Hunter, which led to Holmes’ benching and subsequent criticism from teammates.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter learned, via a team source, that Holmes has “developed a reputation in the locker room for not working hard during the week.”

The source, a player that chose to remain nameless, also proclaimed that Holmes “quit” on the Jets, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention, ending a disappointing season that once again began with championship expectations.

Following the game, Holmes, who finished with zero receptions, was quick with the media, often giving brief answers to the pressing questions surrounding his on-field spat. When asked if he’d like to remain in New York, Holmes said simply, “Thank you, guys,” before abruptly walking off.

This isn’t the first time the former Super Bowl MVP has been under the microscope. During the Jets’ Week 15 drubbing at the hands of the Eagles, Holmes’ lackadaisical play led to two turnovers. When he did reach the endzone, he was flagged for using the ball as a prop, mocking the Eagles with a flap of his hands.

Not the type of example you’d expect from a team captain, which is something Tomlinson, who might’ve just played his last NFL down, reiterated.

“It’s tough for guys to follow a captain who behaves in that manner,” Tomlinson said. “When you are a captain, guys are looking for you to lead by example, and you have to play your tail off to the last play.”

Perhaps we’re starting to see why the Steelers were so eager to rid themselves of Holmes. There’s no doubt that he possesses a tremendous amount of talent, but his character concerns and off-the-field baggage are two headaches that many front offices wouldn’t want to be burdened with.

Gang Green took a gamble on Holmes, trading a late-round pick for him in 2010. The move initially looked genius as Holmes became known for his late-game heroics, reeling in four separate game-winning scores.

Now, the honeymoon is definitely over. Due to his hefty contract, Holmes is virtually uncuttable, so he’s likely to return to the Jets for at least another year.

However, the organization needs to send a message to Holmes that this type of behavior will not be tolerated going forward. They can start by removing his captaincy and handing over the honor to someone more deserving.

‘Tone Time’ needs a time-out.

When Jets coach Rex Ryan kicked off the war of words on Tuesday, saying how his team is the big brother of the Big Apple, it was only a matter of time before Big Blue responded.

That time has now come.

Although they didn’t issue a retort directly to Ryan, two of the Giants’ offensive playmakers instead opted to target Gang Green’s shutdown corner.

Ralph Vacchiano, who covers the team for the NY Daily News, spoke with receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and asked for their take on Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.

They didn’t exactly sing his praises.

Asked whether or not Revis is the league’s best at the position, Nicks paused before answering, “He’s a decent corner.”

Cruz added that, “Teams aren’t really scared of him anymore. He’s had to earn his money this year.”

While they’re absolutely allowed to voice their opinions, it goes against the “talk is cheap” mantra that coach Tom Coughlin likes to stand behind.

Clearly, both teams realize there’s a whole lot more than just playoff implications on the line — there’s city-wide bragging rights at stake, too.

The Giants perhaps feel like the stepchild after watching their counterparts reach two consecutive conference championship games, while they missed out on the postseason, mostly in letdown fashion.

With three days to go until what some are dubbing the “New York Super Bowl,” there is sure to be much more jibber jabber emanating from each lockerroom.

One thing’s for sure: The meeting between MetLife Stadium co-tenants won’t be full of holiday cheer.

During a conference call with reporters Monday, Ryan insisted that he nor his team are taking a back seat to the Giants, whom the Jets square off with Saturday, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

“Quite honestly, I never came here to be little brother to anybody,” Ryan said. “So, it’s on.”

Ryan, who dubbed his squad the “big brother” of New York football in his book, bluntly stated that Gang Green has one-upped Big Blue in recent memory, and is ready to prove it on the field.

“Certainly, we were the better team the first two years,” Ryan said. “We made the playoffs and went to the championship game. To say a team’s better than you that never made the playoffs, just is ridiculous. Clearly, we were the better team my first two years. And we get to prove it on Saturday who the best team is this year.”

Although he peppered Giants’ defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and coach Tom Coughlin, Ryan, true to his personality, finally just said it outright.

“I recognize that they’re an excellent football team, but I think we’re better,” Ryan said.

Words that their co-tenants may not take too kindly to.

This is a huge tilt for both teams, as each need a win to remain in their respective wild card races. There are some serious implications at stake — both in the NFL and the tri-state area.

A New York Super Bowl, if you will.

The Giants (7-7) are reeling after a bad loss to the Redskins, as are the Jets (8-6) following their implosion in Philly. Rex does not need to give the G-Men any more bulletin board material; after two years of being the stepchild in NYC, they already have enough to work with.

As he’s done in the past, Ryan could be trying to deflect criticism away from the team and onto himself. It’s understandable after a 26-point loss, a particularly miserable one at that. But if he fails to back up the talk, all that he’ll remember from the year is falling way short of his lofty expectations.

Well, that and starring in an Adam Sandler movie, of course.

Just don’t tell that to one of the team’s elder statesmen, receiver Plaxico Burress. The former Super Bowl hero has no reservations about Gang Green making the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

He let that be known to the New York media Friday.

“No doubt about it, I think we’re one of those teams that nobody is going to pay attention to,” he said. “We’re just going to keep going about it, playing our style of football and just win games.”

Burress, doing his best Rex Ryan impersonation, acknowledged that the Jets are starting to fire on all cylinders when it counts the most — in December, referencing the Packers’ improbable playoff run from a season ago.

“If you look at the run Green Bay went on last year and the way they started playing in December, they just kind of took off from there. We just have to get into a groove in all three phases of the game and just play smart.”

Plax added that he thinks the Jets are starting to rediscover their “swagger,” which appeared lost after a handful of brutal, and sometimes embarrassing, losses this year.

Burress has been a key to the Jets’ success, hauling in seven touchdowns and helping transform the offense into the league’s best inside the redzone, all the while showing the world he’s still got it after a brief stay behind bars.

For his opinion to become reality, however, he’ll need to continue to be a factor in the remaining four contests. Every game is a must-win for the Jets, starting this Sunday against the lowly Chiefs, who they should handle with ease.

Though, if they slip up, Plaxico and the rest of his teammates will likely be home for the winter, watching 16 other teams compete for the Lombardi Trophy, and wondering what could’ve been.