Darrelle Revis: To Pay or Not To Pay?

By now most people have heard that Darrelle Revis is holding out from the New York Jets training camp in protest of this year’s upcoming contract.

While Revis and the Jets brass remain far apart on an agreement for an extension most Jets fans are hopeful it will get done before the season starts. However, if it does, I believe New York will be making a mistake that could rival that of the Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins.

Six years with $31.5 million guaranteed and a chance to increase the amount to $68 million with incentives. Six years with $16 million guaranteed and a chance to increase the amount to $55 million with incentives. Seven years with $24.5 million guaranteed and a chance to increase the amount to $70 million with incentives.

These contracts belong to former Oakland Raiders Jamarcus Russell, Javon Walker, and DeAngelo Hall respectively. The Oakland Raiders overpay for players that have done nothing to deserve the compensation. Nnamdi Asomugha’s contract has been the focus of Darrelle Revis’ contract demands. Revis has stated that he feels as if he should be paid as the top corner in the league. That title currently resides in Oakland with Asomugha.

Asomugha signed a three-year deal worth $45.3 million with $28.5 million guaranteed, and provisions that will make the entire contract guaranteed if Nnamdi is kept for all three seasons by Oakland. Asomugha’s contract was certainly historic and so was the season he had after signing that contract, but for all the wrong reasons.

Asomugha recorded the lowest number of tackles in his career and the fewest amount of passes defended since his second year in the league. The counter argument is he was not targeted enough to create the kind of statistics indicative of his contract, and while that is a fair argument there is a reason that the second highest-paid corner is only receiving $9.5 million. Corners are their own worst enemies because the better they are the fewer targets they will have, and ultimately the more and more their production will diminish.

The New York Jets have a decision to make regarding their all-pro cornerback Darrelle Revis. In my opinion, paying Revis anything over $12 million a year would be a catastrophic mistake that would leave the Jets in ruins. Rex Ryan is one of the, if not the best defensive mind in all of pro football.

The Jets have just given Ryan an extension and now it is up to him to fill this void. The 2000 Baltimore Ravens are considered to be of the best defenses of all times. They did not have a shutdown corner; they had a collection of good to great players and the best defensive mind in the NFL. Rather than paying Revis all that money, the New York Jets should let their head coach do his job and have faith in his ability.