There was a good chance the New York Jets were going to release Darrelle Revis before he was arrested and charged with four felonies, so the odds seem even greater now. One potential issue standing in the way could be guaranteed money, but the team is trying to find a way around that.
Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that the Jets have “done their homework” on how to recoup the remaining $6 million in guaranteed money on Revis’ contract. Revis is scheduled to make $13 million in 2017, so one option would have been to restructure his contract and take the salary down closer to the guaranteed money. Now, the Jets may want out from under the entire thing.
A league source told Mehta that there is no clause in Revis’ five-year, $70 million contract that says the team can void the deal if the player is charged with a felony. However, the Jets would reportedly have a “solid case” to recoup the $6 million if Revis is suspended for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, as long as he is still on the active roster at the time the suspension is handed down.
That could be the tricky part, as the Jets have until March 10 — when Revis is owed a $2 million roster bonus — to decide if they want to restructure his contract, release him, or stand pat. If they do nothing and Revis avoids a suspension, they would be stuck paying him.
As Mehta notes, Revis probably isn’t worth the distraction. If the Jets were already planning on cutting him, they likely aren’t going to wait for the legal process to take its course just for an outside chance at recouping $6 million.
In the meantime, a warrant has been issued for Revis’ arrest after he was accused of being involved in a brawl in Pittsburgh on Sunday. The 31-year-old has been charged with four felonies and one misdemeanor. You can read more details here.
