A Jets holdout? Meshawn can relate to that A Jets holdout? Keyshawn can relate to that Tuesday, August 07, 2007 BY DAVE HUTCHINSON Star-Ledger Staff Long before Darrelle Revis and his bitter contract stare-down with the Jets, which reached its 11th day yesterday, there was Keyshawn Johnson, the No. 1 pick of the 1996 draft who waged a 24-day holdout. Johnson, who recently retired, can certainly relate to Revis and recalled yesterday his often-acrimonious contract battle with the Jets more than a decade ago. "They weren't going to scare me into taking a bad deal," Johnson told The Star-Ledger. "Missing training camp wasn't my concern. I knew the game. I really wasn't worried about that. ... I wanted to get into camp. I wanted to play football. But I was in the opportunity of a lifetime to get what I felt I deserved." Revis, the cornerback whom the Jets took 14th overall after trading up 12 spots, and the team are at an impasse over the length of the contract. Revis wants a five-year deal, but the team has offered six. All but one of the players taken between sixth and 16th overall have signed five-year deals. Only defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, the Houston Texans' pick at No. 10, signed a six-year pact. But Okoye's contract has a "voidable" year that can be easily triggered by reaching very attainable incentives, meaning Okoye would be eligible for free agency after five seasons. The Jets have a policy against voidable years. Johnson, who has joined ESPN as an analyst, said the number of years on the contract shouldn't be a sticking point. "It doesn't really matter because if you're any good, you're going to get your money in the third or four year," said Johnson, referring to the practice of NFL teams usually locking up their star players with contract extensions early in their careers. "And if you can't play, they're going to cut you anyway." Only three first-round picks -- Revis and quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell, who went to the Raiders with the No. 1 overall selection, and Brady Quinn, who fell to Cleveland at No. 22 -- remain unsigned. Neither Revis' agent, Neil Schwartz, nor Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum has commented on the negotiations, which showed no signs of a thaw. Jets cornerback Justin Miller, who is having a solid camp, tweaked his right hamstring during Sunday's simulated game at Fordham, but it's unlikely that's enough to jump-start talks with Revis with the season still more a month away. "I would tell (Revis) to keep working out and let his representatives handle things, because either way he's going to get more money than he has ever had in his life," Johnson said. It worked for Johnson. In the summer of 1996, Johnson chose not to report to training camp on July 13 and didn't show up until Aug. 6. He and his agent, Jerome Stanley, fought the Jets over voidable years and the total value of the contract. Stanley even threatened to have Johnson sit out the whole season and live off money from his shoe contract with Adidas and re-enter the draft the next year. Then-Jets president Steve Gutman, who tried to get Johnson to agree to a contract before the draft, said the Jets would take money off the table if Johnson didn't sign. Johnson wanted a better deal than the previous No. 1 overall pick, Ki-Jana Carter, who signed a seven-year, $16.4 million deal with a $7.12 million signing bonus and a voidable year in 1995. Johnson ended up with a six-year, $15 million deal that included a $6.5 million signing bonus. He said he earned roughly another $1 million in incentives. Johnson said a deal was struck when he and Stanley flew to New York and Stanley drove out to Hofstra unannounced to negotiate with Gutman. "The Jets paid me essentially what we wanted, and at the end I got my opt-out because I was traded (to Tampa) after my fourth year," said Johnson, adding that he wasn't bitter. "So really, the Jets gave me a $6.5 million signing bonus on a four-year deal. Not bad, huh? --------------------
PFT re: Revis situation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REVIS, JETS STILL AT ODDS With only two first-round holdouts remaining, the Jets and No. 14 pick Darrelle Revis continue to be locked in a stare down regarding the length of the contract. Because Revis, a cornerback, was taken among the first 16 picks, the Jets are entitled to require him to sign a contract with a maximum length of six years. But all of the other guys taken in the vicinity of Revis have signed five-year contracts (or six-year deals that easily void to five). Thus, the Revis camp wants the Jets to ignore the rule that permits a six-year term because most of the other teams exercising picks in the top half of round one already have done so. The Jets, however, aren't budging. So what happens next? Per a league source, the indications are that Revis would do a six-year deal if the money is right not only in year six, but also in year five. The thinking is that incentives pushing the Revis salary in year six to the amount of the franchise tender won't be enough to get the agents to bite, since a player who signs a five-year deal already faces the possibility of being slapped with the franchise tag in year six. For a six-year deal, however, the first true franchise tag year would be the seventh season. But if the deal were to have fair triggers that would push the pay in year five and year six to extraordinary levels, then the team would have a strong incentive to negotiate an extension after four years. The other reality here is that, with so many guys taken in the top 16 signing five-year deals, agents Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod risk having a six-year deal used against them in recruiting. As we've said before, and surely will say again, it shouldn't be an issue. But it is. And will be. So the Jets can either do a five-year deal, or they can negotiate a six-year package that makes it wise for Revis to defer free agency one more year into the future. Until that happens, they'll get nothing in return for everything they sacrificed to move up in round one to draft Revis.
Agree with me or not, but Revis is coming off as a coward of the NFL and defintely seems like hes not ready for it mentally. It wont be such a loss based on this antics towards the signing. Revis put up a front I guess when he was so happy to become a Jet. He should see how much we gave up to get him and show how much we truly were interested. I think David Harris will be the best rookie of this class for the Jets though, he seems to want it more and actually wants to suit up.
you guys are hypocrites. stop it already, you would do EXACTLY the same thing. you would holdout and ask for a fair deal. the kid worked his butt off for 10 or 15 years. now it's time for him to cash in
And the Jets mortgaged alot of their picks to get this guy because of how much faith they have in him and are allowing this kid to accomplish his lifelong dream and dare I say it, start on a playoff team. Jets picked the kid as the top guy of his draft class or draft position, the least Revis can do is to agree with what the Jets are offering. This isnt like he is getting absolutely shafted or something or that he is making some absolutely low money.
No more a hypocrite than you who would wildly claim it is all the team's fault. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle.
Because we all know that Revis won't even be able to put food on the table with that horrendous 6 year contract he is being offered.:sad:
As a businessman I agree with you 100%. In the grand scheme of things, no professional athlete is getting shafted. But comparatively speaking, I think the NFL players really get the short end of the shaft. Now, I?m not losing any sleep for NFL player, but man? NFL owners really have it good. Contracts are apparently worthless. You can sign a guy to whatever inflated figure you want, and as soon as you get tired of him, just fire his ass and tear up the contract. That doesn?t seem fair to me. I just disagree with the non-guaranteed contract. That isn?t a contract at all, or at least, it?s a very one-sided one. It almost makes me see Terrell Owens? side of things. If an NFL player under performs, the team can just get rid of him. If he outperforms his contract, though, what?s his course of action? He has no leverage whatsoever. Peace out, L3
Exactly!! that is the reality of the situation. The team is Lord and Master!! Once the player signs a contract because he should be so honored to be deemed worthy, the team can discard him the next yr. (see Keyshawn) It is only in the players best interest to get the best deal for himself. Others teams will be willing to offer him more if he is any good. Unfortunately for Revis, he can not get said offers from other teams. But if I were Revis, and forced into this contract, I would post it on my bathroom mirror and the first chance I get, I am outa here!!
I thought that too. Then I saw something on Sportscenter last night and they say he doesn't want to play for Oakland and may sit out the season or force a trade like Elway did with Baltimore. In the meantime he is demanding 20% or 30% more then Houston gave Williams last year which isn't going to happen.
I was unable to get any news on Revis when I was in the hospital, and now I'm glad. I hope these guys can get this crap worked out. I'd like to see him get into camp soon.
its not even like its Revis doing it, it's his agent. players think they play for them instead of the teams that draft them.
