With Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis abruptly ditching the team’s ongoing Organized Team Activities, immediate speculation has arisen regarding the possibility that Revis will skip a mandatory minicamp coming up later this month, and ultimately hold out of training camp.
But there’s a theory making the rounds in league circles that the Jets actually want him to hold out from at least one non-voluntary practice or meeting.
As explained in our brand-new offering at SportingNews.com, a holdout would potentially jeopardize the guaranteed nature of $20 million in 2011 and 2012 payments to which Revis will be entitled if: (1) Revis chooses, as he will, to void the last two seasons of his six-year rookie deal after 2010; (2) the Jets opt to buy back the last two years at $5 million guaranteed in 2011 and $15 million guaranteed in 2012.
The lengthy and convoluted Revis rookie contract contains language potentially hinging the $20 million in guarantees on compliance with the duty to attend mandatory team functions. So if he ditches mandatory minicamp or any portion of training camp, the guarantee could go bye-bye.
Whether the guarantee attaches may not matter. But if Revis were to suffer a career-altering injury in 2011, the Jets may not be inclined to pay him $15 million in 2012, if they aren’t contractually obligated to do so.
But here’s why the Jets may actually want Revis to hold out. Apart from the “gotcha” moment that potentially could rattle Revis and his agents during ongoing negotiations, disappearance of the guarantee would mean that the Jets would not be required to immediately fund the full $20 million once the guarantee arises.
For Revis, he has to decide whether to risk losing the guarantees by skipping mandatory minicamp or any portion training camp. On one hand, it’s easy to conclude that the best defensive player in the game will be getting paid in 2011 and 2012 after the Jets exercise the buy-back. On the other hand, any decision that reduces the chances of earning $15 million in 2012 from 100 percent to something less than 100 percent shouldn’t be taken lightly.