Revis Could Hurt Himself by Holding Out

Nov 6, 2011; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) comes off the field after beating the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Jets beat the Bills 27-11. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-US PRESSWIRE

The Darrelle Revis holdout possibility is hanging over all of our heads. He won’t guarantee that he is coming in to camp on time, but hasn’t said he won’t. Is he going to hold out? Will he come to camp on time? The issue is out there.

As stated in a previous post, we should get off a Darrelle Revis’ case, since he hasn’t officially done anything yet. There is no reason to get worried, until there is something to be worried about.

If you look at it from Darrelle’s point of view, there is reason to look to holdout and get paid, which I am about to outline. However, there is a clause in his current contract that could ultimately be to Revis’ detriment if he decides to hold out.

First, the Revis point of view.

Darrelle Revis is the best cornerback in the NFL, this is not in dispute. Forgetting about dollar figures for a second, but just talking about value, the best player at a position should be paid as the best.

Which Darrelle Revis was paid like, in the first 2 years of the contract. He earned $32.5 million over the first two years of the contract, for an average of $16.25 million each year, which is higher than what Nhamdi Asomugha earned in those years, $16.1 million per year.

However, Revis is going to earn a very pedestrian $13.5 million over the next two years, and will not be the highest paid player at his position. Now, I hear you all groaning when I say that $13.5 million is pedestrian. Of course I am not saying that it is a lot of money. What I am saying, is that in talking pure value, forgetting about dollar figures, Revis is now not being paid to his value.

Look at Asomugha’s stats versus Darrelle Revis, and it’s not close. For his career Darrelle Revis has batted down 95 passes and picked off 18, while Asomugha, over a much longer career, has knocked down 59 and intercepted 14.

Just like any of us, football players need to maximize their worth while they can. At 26 years old Darrelle Revis is in the prime of his career. He has stated he wants to retire as a New York Jet, and with the low average career span of a football player (3.5 years), he must get his money when he can. He could be looking at his final payday now, and wants to cash in.

Any Jets player remembers what happened to Leon Washington. Washington was unhappy with his deal, but played on into 2009, when he suffered a severe leg break that cost him the balance of the 2009 season. He was subsequently traded a year later when the Jets wouldn’t re-sign him to a long term deal.

No player wants to lose out on a dime, it’s the nature of a human. Revis is no different.

However, there is a possible problem that Darrelle Revis might not like, if he decides to holdout.

Per the contract that Darrelle signed, if he decides to hold out, the Jets can extend his contract to a seven year deal, for a modest price. So, if he holds out, they could make him come in, due to the terms of his contract, and not pay him what he is looking for. Then, they could keep him under contract for an additional three years, until he is 31 years old.

But, if Revis plays out his deal, after the 2013 season, he would be come an unrestricted free agent. The Jets would not be able to use the franchise or transition tag on him. He would be free to go to the highest bidder.

So, if Darrelle plays, he can seek a huge pay day when he is 28 years old at the latest. If he holds out, he may not be able to get that pay day until he is 31 years old. Don’t you think that a 31 year old cornerback will get less money than a 28 year old cornerback?

Bottom line is, Darrelle Revis may hold out. He would have some reason to do so.

Ultimately, however, it should turn into a bad idea for him when he plays it out. It will likely do more harm than good to his career in the long run.