Darrelle Revis: Jets have to decide if they want to treat me with ‘class’

The New York Jets would stand to save a lot of money if they released Darrelle Revis this offseason. Many believe the team will do just that, especially with how ineffective Revis has been in 2016.

If the Jets do decide to cut Revis or approach him about taking a pay cut, the 31-year-old believes they ought to tread lightly. Why? Because one of the greatest players in franchise history deserves to be treated as such.

“Would I love to be here? Yes. Will I be back? That’s a great question,” Revis told Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post on Thursday. “My thing would be this: Do the New York Jets want to treat my situation with class or no class? With me being one of the best players in the history of this franchise, do they want me to retire here or not retire here? That’s the biggest question. It’s black and white. It’s not very complicated.”

Revis knows as much as anyone that football is a business. Did he return to the Jets last season because he is so loyal to the franchise, or were they simply willing to offer him the most money? We all know the answer to that.

Now that Revis’ production is not living up to his level of pay, he suddenly thinks contract negotiations should be all about loyalty.

“I’ve been one of the best cornerbacks to ever play this game,” he told Cannizzaro. “I’ve done a lot of things in this league that a lot of guys currently playing are chasing now. I’ve impacted the game in a way where it was like, ‘Hey, he doesn’t give up any catches to the No. 1 [receiver].’ I set a precedent.”

That has not been the case this season. Revis has had his effort questioned by one of his own bosses and been torched by opposing receivers on multiple occasions. His pathetic tackling effort at times (video here) has infuriated Jets fans.

Despite all that, Revis said it is “insulting” to insinuate that his legacy as a shutdown corner has been tarnished.

“No. That’s absurd and very insulting to even say that,” he said. “I can still play this game at a high level. I’m going to be there until I’m told I’m not going to be here. Whatever the situation is in the offseason, it’ll get handled the way it’s supposed to. It depends on how they want to handle it.”

The Jets could free up $9 million in cap space by releasing Revis before the new league year begins in March. As it stands now, he is set to count $15.33 million against the cap in 2017. He hinted that he might be willing to take a pay cut, and there has been talk about the Jets potentially moving him to safety.

Whatever ends up happening, Revis needs to understand he’s simply not worth what the Jets are paying him. He doesn’t hold the leverage in this situation, either, as no team is going to pay him anything close to $15 million. His only hope may be that the Jets show him the respect he is demanding.