Seems like you can’t log on to Twitter or Facebook or watch a single program on ESPN or NFL Network without hearing constant speculation and debate over the future of Darrelle Revis, right? Yeah. And free agency hasn’t even started yet.

Welp, since all the cool kids are doing it, I guess that means it’s time to talk about Darrelle Revis. Let’s begin.

Rumors and Sources and Stuff: The 49ers and the Falcons have been rumored to be in the market for the corner for weeks now, though those rumors have since died down.

There was also some speculation earlier this morning that perhaps the Denver Broncos had interest in trading for Revis, but that has been also disputed by both Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post and ESPN’s Ed Werder.

But one other team has emerged as a possible destination: The Philadelphia Eagles.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, General Manager Howie Roseman is preparing to make a  deal to acquire Revis. The Eagles not only have the draft picks and the cap space to acquire Revis, they also have a need at cornerback (Asomugha was recently released and Rodgers-Cromartie is a free agent). Several sources have questioned the validity of the reports, but for now, the Eagles have emerged as the primary suitors.

I still wouldn’t rule of the Tampa Bay Bucs as a possible landing spot. Though there have not been any reports to suggest the Bucs are interested or pursuing the corner, they do have a need at the position and the cap space (more than $30 million!).

Revis and His Camp Are Pissed, Woody Johnson is Evil(Apparently):

In addition to a variety of rumored landing spots, there have also been a plethora of reports suggesting Revis’ camp is frustrated with the Jets and wants a resolution sooner rather than later, likely because they fear that with so many free agent corners flooding the market – and Revis still rehabbing from the ACL –  the market will quickly dry up and Revis won’t get the pay day he is seeking.

» Continue reading “As Free Agency Approaches, Revis Watch Heats Up”

The night before John Idzik’s introductory press conference, Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports filed a report alleging Jets owner Woody Johnson and the Jets organization are “open” to trading star cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Johnson, according to the report, wants to explore trade options for Revis rather than risk losing him in free agency next season (his contract voids after this season and they are unable to franchise tag him). The report also suggested that Johnson does not have confidence that the team will be able to re-sign Revis – due in large part to their cap situation – while other reports have even suggested that Johnson might be sick of the headache that Revis and his contract demands has created.

If you’re not familiar with much about the team, Revis’ contract, and his history with the Jets front office (and honestly, not sure how you couldn’t be as his highly publicized holdout was documented on HBO’s Hard Knocks), the idea of trading Darrelle Revis probably seems insane. But there is much more to this situation than simply concluding that the Jets are foolish to trade away their best player in franchise history.

We have since learned several things about the Revis trade talks:

• It is very much a real thing and not a rumor. In fact, the Jets (under then general manager Mike Tannenbaum) actually considered trading Revis before his season-ending injury this season, according to Mike Cannizzaro of the New York Post. The Jets are now in what sources around the league are calling the “exploratory” phase — that is, they are asking around, gauging interest and possible compensation for any potential trade. Obviously, no trades can be made until after the new league year begins in early March, but the idea of this happening is not just a rumor. This is something that is absolutely being discussed.
• Not only is there genuine interest from other teams (duh), but the trade market is being described as a “gold rush.” CBS Sports’ Mike Freeman wrote about the trade market for Revis on Friday morning, quoting one NFL GM who likened it to a “gold rush.” Freeman cites New England (not gonna happen), San Fran, Green Bay, Denver, Seattle and Buffalo (also not going to happen, Jets are trading him to a divisional rival) as several of the teams having interest.
• Revis doesn’t just want to “get paid,” he wants a premiere contract — Think Chris Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson money. Also according to Cannizzaro, Revis hopes to surpass Mario Williams deal – a six-year, $96 million contract, the richest contract ever for a defensive player. That’s a lot of money that realistically, the Jets probably cannot offer. They are already between $20-30 million over the cap – depending on what you read – and even with some of the cuts they are expected to make (Scott, Pace, Smith, etc), there will not be sufficient room to pay Revis the kind of money he is asking for.
• The Jets are seeking multiple draft picks as compensation for Revis. Many have speculated that the Jets would like to get at least a first round draft pick in exchange for Revis, but with the value of first round picks at an all-time high – not to mention the fact that Revis is coming off of an injury – the Jets may not get the king’s ransom they are hoping for. Another over-looked factor is the reality that any team that trades for Revis this spring will also inherit his current contract (which expires after the 2013 season) and may also be forced to pay him the premiere contract he is seeking, unless they too, want to see him test the free agent market. It would take a certain kind of team with a certain kind of cap situation to do that.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini outlines the pros and cons of a hypothetical Revis trade in his latest post on ESPN.com. For as much crap as we all give Rich, it’s a really great read, with a good explanation of many of the points I have highlighted here.

My take on this is simple: Darrelle Revis is special and without question one of, if not THE best defensive player in the league. I have always been an avocate for players seeking deals that they deserve and Revis certainly deserves to be handsomely rewarded for his product on the field. But the Jets have a lot of needs and not a lot of cap space at their disposal to fill them, and I can completely understand why trading a player like Revis – who would command a lot of compensation – would be a good move for the future of the team. (For more on my thoughts, check out this week’s edition of Flight 5 Live. We had a in-depth discussion about the Revis trade rumors and recapped the Idzik’s presser from Thursday. You can watch a replay of the episode here).

As is the case with just about everything that happens with this team, Jets fans seem to want to draw a line in the sand about which side of the Revis debate a person is on. I don’t like the idea of seeing Revis in another uniform, but I see why it makes sense for team in the long-term. That doesn’t mean I don’t like Revis or respect him or enjoy watching him play, I just get it.

So, now it’s your turn to weigh in.

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For what it’s worth, Woody Johnson told reporters on Thursday that he had no idea where the report came from, though he did not deny the report. General manager John Idzik, who started his first day in the office on Thursday, apparently made a phone call to Revis on Thursday – just hours after the corner tweeted that he “speechless” about the rumors – explaining the situation. In an interview with Pro Football Talk on Friday, Idzik said Revis “reacted well.” Take that for what you will.

UPDATE: ESPN New York is reporting that there is a “small segment of the organization” interested in trading Cromartie instead of Revis, per a source. If the Jets were to move Cro, it would need to be fast — he is due a roster bonus the 15th of March. A Cromartie trade would clear $8.2 million in cap space.

Fans have been suggesting the team trade Cromartie for months  as he is coming off his best year.

Rex Ryan announced that cornerback Darrelle Revis has torn his ACL and will require surgery. (Credit: Star-Ledger)

The Jets walked away with a win in Miami yesterday, but the team suffered an even greater loss when their worst fears were confirmed this afternoon: Star cornerback Darrelle Revis has torn his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will require surgery.

Head coach Rex Ryan announced the news today, and would not say for sure if the team plans to put Revis on injured reserve, but even in my limited knowledge of the medical field, I think it’s safe to say that Revis will miss the rest of the season. At this point, it’s just a matter of going through the proper steps to make it happen.

Ryan had just learned the news of Revis’ injury moments before his press conference, and was still gathering details. He said he will speak with Revis before placing him on IR and officially ending his season.

Revis will have surgery on this injured knee in two to three weeks (standard for the injury) and will then undergo rehab. Typically the recovery time is somewhere between 9 months to a year, but results vary. Adrian Peterson, who recovered from the injury in less than a year, is an exception. More often than not it is closer to 12-18 months before the athlete returns to his original form (see Wes Welker).

The Jets’ defensive scheme is designed around what Revis and Antonio Cromatie (but mostly Revis) can do, and the loss of Revis means it’s time for former first-round pick Kyle Wilson to step up. Ellis Lankster will now take on Wilson’s role in the slot.

Santonio Holmes had his first 100-yard game since 2010 in the Jets OT win over the Dolphins.

We all knew that this game would be close but not this close!  Every Jets fan breathed a sigh of relief that the team walked away with a W in the books-no matter how we got it.  Here are the Keys to todays game.

1. Two Interceptions were very critical in shifting the momentum of the game.  The first wasn’t entirely Sanchez fault, he threw to  to an inexperienced Clyde Gates who didn’t complete the route correctly, allowing Marshall come up with a pick.  The second pick in the end zone was a horrible throw by Sanchez who shouldn’t have thrown it into coverage especially when Hill wasn’t even ready to catch the ball.

2. The lack of play makers on offense and with the absence of Dustin Keller was felt again, especially on third down situations where Keller is Sanchez’s go-to guy.

3. Missed catches are killing the offense like no other.  The receivers barely get open and when they do they dont make the catches that need to be made. Hill needs to step it up and come through on those straight forward TD catches.

4. The injury to Revis is the last thing the Jets wanted and it led to Miami to traget Kyle Wilson.  This allowed them to control the game clock and lead some long drives.  The Jets have to keep their fingers crossed that nothing is serious and Revis is able to join them for next weeks game against the 49ers.

5.  Finally Tebow was used for what he was brought to do-spark the offense on critical downs.  Today he did just that when he converted on a fourth and three and ran for five yards.  Sparano needs to get Tebow involved more in the offense especially, the anemic running attack since it  helps sets up the passing game.

6. The Jets defense has not been up to par – it appears they have taken a step back from last year and this is something that needs to be fixed ASAP.  The players seem to be out-coached each game and there are just too many  big plays that are being allowed by the defense.  I hope this is addressed by the coaches soon.

7. The Jets were aided by the two missed FG by the Dolphins as well as the time-out call by Philbin.

A win is a win, but the the Jets need to get a lot of issues on both sides of the ball addressed soon.  A tough schedule is coming up for the next 3 weeks and they need to make the most of it.  I firmly believe that a tough first half of the season will make them a tougher and better team-as long as they learn from their mistakes and improve.

Revis expects to play Sunday vs. Miami. (Credit: William Perlman, Star-Ledger)

Santonio Holmes has not had a 100-yard game since Nov. 21 of 2010 – 27 consecutive games – but the wide receiver expects the Jets passing attack to have a big game against the ‘Phins, telling ESPN New York, ”With our skills and our speed, we should really take advantage of those guys.”

Lost in the babbling, finger-pointing and attempted psychoanalysis of Holmes’ over-the-top-and-perhaps-unwarranted-confidence, is the fact that Holmes is correct. The Jets should take advantage of the Dolphins young and inexperienced secondary.

According to Football Outsiders, the Dolphins pass defense is ranked 26th out of 32 (the rush D is ranked 4th), giving up an average of 313.5 yards through the air in their two games (30th in the league). It would be wise for the Jets to cater their offensive game plan to take advantage of the area where the ‘Phins are weakest. So much for Ground and Pound….

Here are a few other nuggets on this match-up:

• The Dolphins lead the league in yards-per-carry against with 2.2. What’s more impressive? They have done it against Arian Foster and Darren McFadden, arguably two of the best backs in the league. (The next best YPC against is 2.6).
• To make matters worse, in his past 5 meetings with Miami, Shonn Greene has 61 carries for 200 yards (3.3 yards per carry) and zero touchdowns. Greene has 117 yards of 38 carries in 2012 (3.0 ypc).
• The Dolphins front seven is very good, and Austin Howard will face another difficult test in his match-up with Cameron Wake. Howard found a lot of success against Mario Williams, but his performance against Lamarr Woodley was less successful, surrendering four hurries, one hit, and a sack, per Pro Football Focus.
• Reggie Bush has gained at least 100 yards from scrimmage in six straight games — the longest active streak in the NFL. There is a lot of concern about the Jets ability to contain Bush, and the concern is not unwarranted. The Jets run defense is currently ranked 15th (per Football Outsiders) and while the Jets had a lot of success against north-south runners (like FJax and Redman), they have struggled mightly vs. speedy, shifty backs like Spiller and Bush. (Worth noting that Muhammed Wilkerson has been an important part of the Jets’ success vs. the run — he missed the portion of practice open to today for unknown reasons).
• Now that Darrelle Revis has been cleared for contact and is likely to play on Sunday, the Jets secondary can return to their successful formula. According to Pro Football Focus, “Through two games, New York has only allowed 3-of-9 passes to be completed to Tannehill’s “sweet spot,” so the Tannehill-to-Hartline connection may have some difficulty duplicating last week’s game of pitch and catch.” Middle of the field has always been the area the Jets have struggled most to cover – watch for tight end Anthony Fasano, who has 4 career touchdowns vs. the Jets.
• Don’t take Ryan Tannehill, his inexperience and propensity to throw interceptions for granted. According to Bleacher Reports’ AFC East blogger Erik Frenz, “Rookie quarterbacks have earned a 71.9 passer rating in six games. Since 2009, Rex Ryan’s Jets defense averages a passer rating of 67.8 overall against other quarterbacks. The Jets are also 3-3 overall in those games.”

TheDolphins are 5-2 in their last 7 meetings vs. the Jets, including the meltdown in Miami last season (or whatever you want to call it). The Jets need a win here to not only gain a lead in the AFC East  (they would be 2-0 in division), but to give themselves a boost as they approach a difficult stretch of games (vs. Niners, @ Houston).

Prediction: Jets 20- Dolphins 17

*Stay tuned for a more complete preview of Jets-Dolphins from contributor Eric Gonzalez.

Here a few things we can observe from the first few days of camp.

1. Sanchez looks to be in the best shape of his career.  When Sanchez drove into Cortland, wearing asleeveless shirt, it was pretty obvious that he had bulked up and was raring to go.
2. Day in and day out every pass that Sanchez and Tebow made was scrutinized and it became obvious from the start who was playing the best.  Sanchez’s throws to Holmes were amazing and showed the confidence he lacked last year.
3.  Judging from the interviews that Sanchez gave to NFL and ESPN show us that he may have finally matured to the QB  that he was drafted to be.
4. A lot has been talked about the “Cro-Package” and suffice to say I am really looking forward to it.  Cromartie is an amazing specimen with the athleticism that will help him thrive as a part time WR.  I am really glad that Rex and Co. are trying to use their players in the best possible  way.
5. Holmes has put in a lot of work in camp and it could be clearly seen when he caught some nice passes from Sanchez on Monday.  If Holmes and Sanchez and keep on working to improve their chemistry then Jet fans can expect a lot of fireworks to go off in the field.
6. Rookie Stephen Hill has been getting a lot of praises from Rex and this is great news.  It looks like that he is coming along faster then expected and I believe the Jets won’t sign another veteran receiver.
7. It is important that Chaz Schilens can stay healthy and make the most of the training camp to get in sync with Sanchez.
8. The low point on the offense has been Kerely and Rex has been very vocal about his disappointment with his work ethic.  This is an issue that is of concern and I am hoping that Kerely is able to get healthy quickly.  The Jets really need all their receivers prepared for this season, otherwise things will become much harder for the offense.
9. The RB situation for the Jets seems to be getting much better from the reports coming out of camp .  Powell seems to be coming out his shell and backing up Rex’s faith in drafting him last year. Also, McKnight has shown some flashes of being a true 2nd back, and if he can continue to play like this in the season the Jets backfield looks really strong.
10. Todays practice in the red zone did not go really well for the offense. Sanchez went for 7-for-19, 1 INT and 1 dropped INT. The stats are pretty alarming but we need to keep in mind that most of the first string WRs were not practicing and there will be some growing pains with the new offense system.  Plus, the Jets offense is going up against one of the best defense in NFL in practice.

Before we sound the alarm bells, it is important that we need to give the offense s a few more weeks to work out the kinks.  I believe if Jets offense can perform at an acceptable level against their top ranked defense in practice, then things should be good for them in the up-coming season.

Photo c/o of my friends at JetNation.com.

The story from camp today –  the first day of padded practice - is that the defense once again outplayed the offense.

Here a few of the other key notes coming from today’s practice:

1. More praise for OLB Aaron Maybin, who apparently went “100 mph” in practice today. In fact, Maybin put out enough effort to require an IV following practice.

Maybin appears to be the star of Cortland thus far, after two really good days of practice for all eyes to see.

One more interesting note on Maybin is that he has spent some time playing special teams. Apparently the team would really like him involved.

2. CB Darrelle Revis sat out of team drills today due to “tightness” in his right hamstring.

Revis explained that the team trainers wouldn’t let him practice and that the situation would be same if we were in season. He said he “wasn’t concerned” and that “he’s just being cautious.” Rex supported Revis, calling the injury minor and explaining that the team is being cautious in light of Revis’ past hamstring injuries. He added that if it were a game, Revis would play.

Revis did add that his hamstring injury was not a veiled attempt at a holdout. You will see plenty of stories insinuating otherwise, and if this goes on for a prolonged period of time, I’ll allow people to suggest he’s playing at being injured. For now, I really think there’s nothing to see here.

3. Rex called out DT Damon Harrison and OT Austin Howard as  two players that stood out in the team’s first padded practice.

4. The first 22 snaps of team drills for the offense were run plays. No surprise there, as the team has re-committed to Ground and Pound. Of the offensive style, Rex said, “This is who were are, we are going to run it & run it and find a way to move the football. ”

According to Rex, RB JoeMcKnight and RB Shonn Greene had several “nice runs” for 5-6 yards, and RB Bilal Powell, who many felt was falling off the radar, is “showing up.: I’ve heard glowing reports about Powell from a number of people who attended practice, including former NFL scout Connie Carberg. Powell got reps with the first team today, which is highly encouraging.

5. Both QB Mark Sanchez and a Tim Tebow had not-so great days, going 1-for-7 in full team drills.  Reports indicate that some drops by receivers effected Sanchez’s stats, and Tebow continued to struggle on short to intermediate throws.

FWIW, McElroy also reportedly “struggled.”

Obviously, WR Jeremy Kerley did not participate today bc of his hamstring injury. He is expected to be out one week.

Late last night news came in over the internet that Darrelle Revis would be showing up to the Jets training camp on time. This report was confirmed this morning by the Associated Press.  Until yesterday, Revis had left the door open on a possible holdout for the second time in three years.  He earned around $32.5 million over the first two years of his contract including an $18 million dollar bonus.  During OTAs and much of the off season, the Jets refrained from making any comments on re-doing his deal and expected Revis to report on day one.

By reporting to camp on time, Darrelle will earn $1 million dollar training camp bonus and avoid the contract from being extended by another 3 years for only $ 3 million per year.  Revis has always maintained the fact that he wishes to stay a Jet for his entire career and I hope the Jets front office gives him a new deal next off season.

But at the moment this is a huge relief for the Jet fans to have their best player in camp.

You can follow Shahmeer on Twitter @shehzada_.

Will he or won’t he? That is the question. In nine days we will get an answer, but until then we are left with only speculation.

The latest Revis hypothesizing came Monday, when ESPN NFL Insider Chris Mortensen visited  Mike and Mike in the Morning to talk news happening around the league. On the show, Mort revealed that he’d be “surprised if he’s [Revis] there on Day 1″ of training camp in Cortland.

“The Jets, I think they’re going to see what Revis does, because he’s playing as if he’s one of the top five football players in the NFL…Everybody understands they may not be a contender without Revis … He’s kept everybody guessing. I’m almost going to be surprised if he’s there Day 1.”

Worth noting that this is Mortensen’s opinion. Opinion.

As you are likely well aware, Revis and his people will not comment on whether or not he will hold out, so it’s absolutely fair to speculate. But, being that training camp begins in just over a week and no developments of any kind whatsoever have been reported, I think it’s safe to assume that the two sides have not spoken to each other, a new contract has not been agreed upon and that Revis will hold out.

In anticipation of the anticipated holdout, let’s briefly breakdown Revis’ contract from 2010 and to understand what he wants.

Why am I going over these details? Because I have gathered through my conversations with people that there is misunderstanding about what exactly his last contract looked like and why in the world he feels he has the write to another one. (For a complete break down, go here).

Revis signed a four year, $46 million contract in 2010 after a highly publicized holdout that was captured on HBO’s Had Knocks for all the world to see. As part of that deal, Revis was paid $32.5 million – $16.25 per year – in 2010 and 2011. The salary did make him the highest paid corner in those two years (just above Nnamdi, who earned $16.124 mill), which was likely what got the deal made at the time.

In the last two years of the deal the salary drops down, paying Revis $13.5 million. He will make $7.5 mil this season, including $2 mill in bonuses and another million in a reporting bonus, if he shows up.

And that is why we are where we are. While Revis’ salary in the first two years did make him the highest paid corner in the league, his 2012 salary, at age 26 and in the prime of his career,  is not even in the Top 10 for cornerbacks in the NFL. In fact, it the 17th highest salary. 17th.

Ultimately, Revis is  probably wanting to match the salaries we saw cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan receive this off-season (Both are just over $10 mill). These two corners have now passed the market but Revis still remains the superior player. » Continue reading “Revis Watch Heats Up”

This is the first in a series of columns that I will write on the Jets defense.  

After last seasons 8-8 season, Rex Ryan promised the fans that he would be more involved in the defensive and offensive team meetings.  When I heard this news, I knew the Jets would finally be taking an aggressive approach in their defensive strategy.

Early impressions from the draft and OTA’s give an indication that Rex is taking a more hand-on approach with the defense so that they can regain their “attacking” mentality.  By picking Coples in the first round, the Jets will not only be able to line up a 3-4 defense, but will also be able to switch to a 4-3 base defense.

For those who don’t know, a 4-3 base defense is based on 4 defensive linemen and 3 linebackers. This gives the Jets more flexibility as they can switch into the 46 defense.  The 46 defense is very effective against the run as the team can bring the strong safety as the 8th man in the box, but it also creates more opportunities for pass rushers.

The Jets 46 defense will be a variation of the ’85 Bears defense -and will allow the Jet’s to stuff the run as well as give Aaron Maybin the chance to play more downs and be an effective edge rusher. There are some weaknesses however, especially when the opposing team uses short effective passes that neutralize the pass rush.

Nonetheless, this year will be the first time Rex has so much depth in the defensive roster, and I believe that this will allow them  to keep their best pass rushers on the field at the same time. Opponents better get ready because the NY Jets are going to go all out and create mayhem in 2012.

Shahmeer is the newest contributor to The Green Room. Please welcome him with a follow, @shehzada_ on Twitter.