The Jets won’t have Darrelle Revis the rest of the season, but they want to make sure to keep him in seasons to come.
Both coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum told Newsday’s Bob Glauber they wanted to keep him well beyond his current contract, which runs through the 2013 season.
“Do I assume that Darrelle Revis will retire a Jet? I do,” Ryan said. “That’s something that I believe. Obviously, both sides have got to come together, but from my perspective, I think the Jets want Darrelle here and I think Darrelle wants to be a Jet. That right there is probably the biggest thing in having a guy long-term here.”
Ryan compared it to Ray Lewis staying put in Baltimore, and Tannenbaum said the Jets will do everything they can to keep their All-Pro cornerback.
“Right now, our focus is putting forth the necessary resources to help him make a full recovery,” Tannenbaum said. “It’s always been our hope that Darrelle would be a Jet for life.”
That said, they’re not going to give him a pile of money now. They’re going to wait to see how he recovers from surgery before starting talks on a new deal.
This situation shows why Revis would consider holding out this summer. He’s assumed all the risk, and with his injury, he’s no longer negotiating from the same position of strength he would have otherwise.
The 27-year-old Revis is scheduled to make $3 million in base salary next year, plus a $3 million roster bonus.
While that might be the appropriate amount for a one-legged Revis, it’s not nearly what a healthy Revis is worth. But that’s not an assumption the Jets can make for months, which might complicate a situation that’s been delicate from the start.
WRITTEN BY Darin Gantt & FULL STORY HERE
