"Quarterback Chad Pennington, who sat out the first pre-season game, isn't likely to play in the second game Saturday night at Jacksonville, either - and that's fine with him.

Coach Tony Sparano said Wednesday that there are "other guys I need to see in these ball games" and that "I know exactly what Chad Pennington needs" to get ready for the season.

Pennington, 34, is coming off his third surgery on his right shoulder. He hasn't played since getting hurt in Week 3 last season, but said he isn't worried about biding his time.

"We've talked about it, from the spring into camp, and I told Coach whatever he felt he needed to do to evaluate, that's what we'll do," Pennington said.

He said the way he has been used in camp - he has been asked to make no more than 100 throws a day - has his arm and shoulder feeling even better than he expected.

"I feel really good," he said. "I feel better three weeks in than I did the first day of training camp. I feel like the ball is starting to jump off my hand."

Sparano has yet to define his expectations for Pennington, who said he isn't sure if he's a candidate for the backup to Chad Henne or the No. 3 job. The other quarterbacks are Tyler Thigpen and Pat White.

"I don't have a feeling," Pennington said. "There's an evaluation process going on here, and I'm just giving our staff time to sift through it and decide what they want to do.""