Once the most feared cornerback in the NFL, Darrelle Revis is now a shade of his former dominant self and is now in no position to demand a high salary. In fact, he’s in line to be released by the New York Jets if he doesn’t agree to a pay cut, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.
This doesn’t mean Revis’ time in New York is over. Cimini envisions a scenario in which Revis still remains with the Jets, albeit at a much more reasonable salary than the $15.3 million he’s owed on his current deal. Owed $2 million in bonus money if he’s still with the club on March 11, Revis will have to accept a pay cut before then or be released.
“While some may feel it’s time to cut bait, the Jets may see things differently,” writes Cimini. “If they can get Revis to slash his total compensation to, say, $6 million, it might make economic sense to keep him as a No. 2 corner or a safety. Remember: He has a $6 million guarantee coming to him no matter what. If you’re going to write the check anyway, you might as well have the player — or so they may believe.”
That Revis has declined the past couple of years is not up for debate. Even he has admitted his body is not able to do what it used to do when he was dominating the best receivers in the league out on Revis Island. Not only that, but one must question his desire based on some pretty hard evidence that shows he isn’t always giving 100 percent on the field (watch here).
Burned repeatedly throughout the 2016 season, Revis headlined a Jets secondary that finished in the bottom half of the league in yards and touchdowns allowed. At this point, one wonders if Revis should even be playing cornerback any more. A move to safety might be the only thing that saves his career, and clearly, he’s not worth the salary he’s owed.
With just over a month remaining until the March 11 deadline, we won’t have to wait long to find out the fate of Revis, who could end up as a free agent when it’s all said and done.