Gap between Darrelle Revis, Jets 'insurmountable,' owner says
Published: Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 7:15 PM Updated: Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 7:28 PM
Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger
William Perlman/The Star-LedgerWoody Johnson says he was tried to join last week's meeting at Roscoe Diner, but was "rebuffed." Jon Feinsod, one of Revis' agents, says they would meet with Johnson "any time, any place."
CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The gap between Darrelle Revis and the Jets appears to get wider with each passing day of his holdout, at least publicly. Woody Johnson went so far as to call it "insurmountable."
"Well I feel that he will not be on the New York Jets team this year, based on what I know today to this very moment," Johnson said this afternoon on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN. "Now that could change, and I hope it does change."
On Monday, Johnson said he was not optimistic a deal with Revis would get done before the season, and told ESPN E:60 that he had a "gut feeling" Revis would not play this season.
Johnson reiterated that the difference in the six-months long impasse is total compensation. Asked why he had not just paid Revis, the All-Pro cornerback and team's best defensive player, he emphasized that the deal has to work for both sides -- and indicated that the proposal Revis' agents made last Friday at the Roscoe Diner only works for one side.
"I have to go by what we feel, and we feel that, 'Yes, he's a good player,' " Johnson said. "But until we come up with an agreement on what the compensation should be, it's not going to work. I think we have to look at a lot of ingredients when were putting this team together, not just Darrelle."
Johnson said he has agreed to meet with Revis in person. He also said he offered, through Revis' agents, to be at the meeting between general manager Mike Tannenbaum and Revis' agents last Friday but was rebuffe
One of Revis' agents, Jon Feinsod, said they would meet with Johnson "any time, any place." He added that he has never spoken with Johnson nor his secretary, and would "love to hear" what he thinks of the proposal they made for a long-term deal.
According to Feinsod, none of the Jets' proposals have contained "a single dollar" of a signing bonus.
Asked to respond to this statement, a team official referred back to Tannenbaum's comments on the opening day of training camp and reiterated that the team is flexible on the signing bonus amount, as well as other bonuses and the structure of the guarantees.
Revis is not expected to report today, meaning he will sacrifice an accrued season by rule. His stance is that he will not report without a new contract, and he is not wavering.