Official Offseason Thread

[TKF]

All of this is great.. but I am concerned about our owner and his frugality.. as he calls it. I mean why, oh why, out of all the NY teams, the jets get stuck with a bull headed and cheap owner.. Dolan will spend, Steinbrenner will surely spend... Woody is playing games.. Give revis, harris, Brick and mangold their money!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zilby]

After not showing up for yesterday's voluntary Jets practice, speculation has grown that cornerback Darrelle Revis will skip minicamp and/or training camp to protest his current contract negotiations.

However, the Sporting News reports that skipping any mandatory session could void a contract clause that could guarantee Revis $20 million.

According to the report, Revis' current contract "contains language that arguably allows the Jets to void the guaranteed nature of the money paid in 2011 and 2012 ... if Revis fails to show up for any mandatory practice or team function."

Revis can void his contract after this season, then the Jets can buy back years five and six at $5 million and $15 million in guaranteed salary, respectively, the report says. Holding out would take the guarantees out of that equation.

Sources close to Revis said yesterday he is very upset and insulted by the Jets' contract proposal, sent to his agents last month. He is scheduled to make $1 million in salary this season and maintains the Jets have promised him a more lucrative deal.

He had been a regular participant in offseason workouts until yesterday, skipping a session with media and cameras from HBO's "Hard Knocks" on hand.

ProFootballTalk.com adds that if Revis holds out and returns less than 30 days prior to the first game, his ability to become an unrestricted free agent may be delayed by a full season.
"If he holds out beyond August 10, he'll still have only three years of service in 2011," the report says.
A player needs six years of service to become an unrestricted free agent.


Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/rep ... z0q1SzS3wP

[j4remi]

Revis is back in camp...not happy though.

[zilby]

Revis is back in camp...not happy though.

Link?

[zilby]

LT's new Jets tatoo

[j4remi]

Revis is back in camp...not happy though.

Link?

I saw it on twitter, but wiretap/football.com confirms...http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... _new_deal/

[zilby]

Maligned PK Nick Folk, inconsistent throughout the Jets' OTA practices, finished Thursday's session by going 7-for-7 in field goals. That included 52- and 53-yarders.

That sound you just heard was a collective exhale from the Jets' organization, which is counting on Folk to replace the departed Jay Feely.

"Yeah, that made me feel better," Rex Ryan said. "I'm sure it made the entire New York Jets fan base feel better."

Other observations and sound bites from Thursday, the final OTA:

Sanchez passes test. QB Mark Sanchez, practicing for the second day in 11-on-11 drills, completed seven of 14 passes in team drills. He got off to a slow start, missing on a couple of passes into tight coverage, but he closed with a strong series. The highlight was a deep sideline pass to WR Jerricho Cotchery, who beat CB Darrelle Revis.

Sanchez moved well in the pocket, even made a couple of throws on the run. He spoke confidently about being able to particpate in next week's minicamp.

"We don't even worry about him," Ryan said. "That's how confident we are where he is."

Said Sanchez: "The knee feels as good as it's ever felt."

Getting stronger. When the season ended after the loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game, Ryan challenged the players to find ways to improve themselves in the off-season program. Well, Ryan came armed with some tangible results.

According to the coach, 29 players set personal strength records. For the record, Bart Scott's "team" captured the off-season conditioning award, defeating three other squads. There was a banner near the practice field, trumpeting "Team Scott" as the champions.

The battle for No. 2 ... and No. 3. Curiously, No. 2 QB Kellen Clemens didn't receive as many second-team reps as usual, as he was replaced by Kevin O'Connell in certain drills. Hmmm. Ostensibly, O'Connell is battling Erik Ainge for the No. 3 job. Ryan is calling it an open competition, although it appears that O'Connell is leading.

As for Clemens, his days are numbered. The Jets are expected to sign free agent Mark Brunell in late July, and he would take over as Sanchez's backup. Basically, now that Sanchez is healthy, the Jets will look to move on from Clemens.

This and that: WR Santonio Holmes is practicing with two tight hamstrings, curtailing his ability to run deep routes. He still managed to get past the defense on a couple of deep balls ... Rookie LG Vlad Ducasse continues to work with the starters. According to teammates, he has made significant strides the last week or two and the feeling around the team is that he will be the opening-day starter, ahead of Matt Slauson ... Ryan opened his news conference with a split-screen video analysis of his ceremonial first pitch from the other night at Citi Field. It was Ryan on one side of the screen, with Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg on the other. Ryan pointed out the similarities in their throwing motions. Funny stuff. Ryan's "catcher" was GM Mike Tannenbaum, who failed to handle a two-seam fastball (Ryan's description) that broke down and in.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/p ... how-in-ota

[zilby]

Sunday notes to chew on as you ponder what it might be like living in England today with the last name Green:

The Sanchez Rules. Now that his surgically repaired knee is healed and he’s back on the field, Mark Sanchez can concentrate on cleaning up some mechanical glitches. One area he’ll be focusing on is his takeaway from center. It seems like an easy skill – get the snap and drop back – but the coaching staff is trying to improve two aspects of his takeaway.

1. The first step – Sanchez needs to be “a little more explosive in his first step away from center,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “We want him to be more balanced his stance, drop his (butt) and explode away from center.” Why? Because they want Sanchez to be quicker into his drop back, achieving the proper depth a split-second sooner than usual. That will help his field vision. Remember, Sanchez is only 6-2, not a statuesque pocket passer, so he can’t see over the rush like others can.

2. The blind spot – When he pulls away from center, Sanchez, like many right-handed quarterbacks, tends to keep his hips and shoulders closed, facing to the right. “It’s hard to see what’s going on to your left,” Schottenheimer said. “That’s why, in our quick, three-step passing game, he wasn’t as accurate to the left as he should’ve been.”

That’s an understatement. According to stats from the Elias Sports Bureau, Sanchez threw 13 interceptions and only one touchdown on passes to the “left sideline” and “left side.” It’s not known how many of those picks came on three-step drops, but you get the idea.

During his down time, Sanchez studied cut-ups of every pass from last season. The coaching staff made the corrections, and now he’s on the field, trying to fix what he learned in the classroom.

Money matters. Take this to the bank (no pun intended): C Nick Mangold, LB David Harris and LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson will not get contract extensions in 2010. The Jets have yet to begin negotiations with any of the players and, considering the uncertainty of the CBA, the organization is showing no sense of urgency. The Jets probably won’t admit this publicly, but I think they’ve already made a decision to wait.

By waiting until after the season, GM Mike Tannenbaum is putting himself in an almost impossible position, with Mangold, Harris, WR Braylon Edwards, WR Santonio Holmes and CB Antonio Cromartie all unsigned. Say goodbye to two or three of those players.

Revis I$land. From all indications, the Darrelle Revis dispute will last well into the summer, perhaps all the way up to the regular-season opener. Both sides seem entrenched in their positions. Revis is adamant about being the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL (can you blame him?), meaning he wants to be paid at least as much as Nnamdi Asomugha (in the $16 million-a-year neighborhood). Ordinarily, the Jets wouldn’t have a problem with making Revis No. 1 in salary at his position, but they regard the Asomugha deal as an aberration, one of many wacko deals executed by Al Davis.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the possibility of a “band-aid contract,” giving Revis a nice raise in 2010 and re-visiting a long-term deal after the season when (or if) the CBA issues are settled. That’s not out of the realm of possibility, but the Jets might be reluctant to do that because they wouldn’t be receiving anything in return – i.e. more years on the contract. They’d be giving money for nothing, and that could open a can of worms.

Holmes, Sweet Holmes. One of the first things Sanchez noticed about new WR Santonio Holmes is his ability to track a deep ball in the air and accelerate under it. All the great receivers have that quality. Some receivers can run a sub-4.4 time in the 40, but they don’t play to that speed when the ball is in the air. Sanchez offered a terrific analogy when discussing his early impressions of Holmes.

“When you get a new receiver as a quarterback, it’s like a new toy,” he said. “Let’s say it’s a race car. What’s the first thing you do? You floor it. Pedal to the metal, let’s go. Let’s see what he’s got. I want to see what my race care has, I want to see what Santonio has.

“When we first started throwing, when we had a ‘9’ route, I launched it about as far as I could … He’s running, looking up at the ball, takes his eyes off the ball, gets into another gear, looks back up, late hands, tracks the ball … (Completion). He just knew. I mean, you don’t coach that. He’s unbelievable.”

Interestingly, Holmes wasn’t really used that way last season by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was more of a yards-after-catch receiver. His average YAC per reception was 6.3, fifth in the league among starting receivers. Of his 1,248 receiving yards, 40% came after the catch, only 60% in the air. His longest reception was only 57 yards.

Let’s see how that compares to current teammates Jerricho Cotchery and Edwards. Cotchery produced 38% YAC and 62% in the air, Edwards 31% YAC and 69% in the air.
Maybe the Jets can find a way to expand Holmes’ game by turning him into a home-run hitter.

This and that: Word on the street is that the contract for CB Kyle Wilson (No. 1 pick) will get done with time to spare before camp opens. The Jets open training camp Aug. 1 … Rex Ryan on who the new leader of the post-Faneca offensive line: “I just know it’s not the left guard” – a reference to rookie Vlad Ducasse and second-year backup Matt Slauson … By the way, Ducasse is well on his way to winning the starting job … Revis bristled when someone asked if, given the state of the economy, he should drop his asking price. One has nothing to do with the other, he said … Thursday was the one-year anniversary of the richest contract in Jets history, Sanchez’s five-year, $50 million deal ($28 million in guarantees). Woody Johnson wasn’t cheap then, was he?

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/p ... p-glitches

Does anyone think Revis' price may come down? I can see him dropping to $16 or $17...

[zilby]

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets center Nick Mangold, who said last week there was a 50/50 chance he would skip the team's mandatory minicamp because he's unhappy with his contract, reported Monday morning for the start of the three-day camp.

Mangold, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, is due to make $3.3 million in the final year of his rookie contract. As of late last week, the Jets hadn't made an offer, according to Mangold.

"We'll put it at 50/50 you never know," Mangold said last Thursday. "Got to get through the weekend and make our decision on Sunday."

The Jets are also negotiating with cornerback Darrelle Revis, who wants to be the highest paid at his position in the NFL.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/ ... id=5283872

[zilby]

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/ ... id=5284871

This can't be good at all.

[j4remi]

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5284871

This can't be good at all.

It's just getting worse and worse. Asomugha is clearly overpaid, but this is Revis, possibly the best defensive player in football...you HAVE to have him on the field. Mangold is a crucial piece too. I am glad to hear about Ducasse doing well though.

[zilby]

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Twenty-four hours after Darrelle Revis' mini-protest became major news, Rex Ryan still hadn't talked to his star cornerback to find out what exactly happened Monday morning on the New York Jets' practice field. So much for a hurry-up attack.

Ryan and Revis were planning to meet late Tuesday to discuss the matter. If Ryan receives the same version that made headlines, Revis admitting he sat out a few plays to let everyone know he's upset with stalled contract negotiations, the coach won't be happy.

"It's so not him," Ryan said. "It's uncharacteristic of him to get out of anything. I have to hear it from the horse's mouth. I know what he told [reporters], but I'm sure there's an explanation. You know what, it might be just this is a thing he wanted to do and that's fine. But he knows that's not right."

Welcome to another day in the Revis soap opera.

Expressing a more conciliatory tone than Monday, Revis said he was looking forward to speaking with his coach to prevent the situation from deteriorating any further. The All-Pro cornerback said he wants to be "a Jet forever" and that he hasn't considered the possibility of requesting a trade, a la Logan Mankins of the New England Patriots.

"This is the beginning of stuff turning bad," Revis said after a minicamp practice. "I'll talk to Rex [Tuesday] and we'll try to see eye to eye and try to do it the right way. [Monday] was a little frustration going back and forth, but we want to keep things positive."

On Monday, Day 1 of a mandatory minicamp, Revis said he sat out a few plays to make a statement about his contract situation. Initially, he told reporters that a pulled hamstring and lightheadedness were the reasons he removed himself, later acknowledging it was contract-related. Thing is, Ryan didn't get that version until he heard it from reporters -- he thought it was injury-related -- putting him in an uncomfortable position.

After a day to consider his remarks, which fueled an Internet buzz and a huge outcry on radio call-in shows, Revis said he didn't regret anything he said. He conceded the hamstring alibi was a tall tale, but he claimed he was, in fact, lightheaded.

"I didn't eat anything that morning, for real," Revis said Tuesday. "I came in here and went straight to meetings and didn't eat anything. I drank Gatorade, but I didn't eat anything, so I was like, 'I feel funny.'"

Defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman told him to take a break, and Revis went to the sideline. After practice, Revis was told he needed to get his blood checked and he told trainers he had to get something to eat.

But Revis didn't recant the part about his protest being mostly contract-motivated.

"I'm not going to take it back because that's how I felt," he said. "I'm releasing some of the frustration from the course of a couple of months because of the things they promised me ... This is not me. I'm going to take a step back and re-evaluate things in my own personal life."

Revis also shot down some theories that him sitting out a few plays was a way to not get fined by missing minicamp and still make a statement. The Jets could buy back the final two years of his contract, but Revis would lose it all if he misses any mandatory practices.

"The thing is, me and my agents have talked about it, about letting the money go," Revis said. "They were like, 'Do you want to lose this?' And I was like, 'I'll think about it.' And then, I was like, 'I'll go' because I want to be here. I don't want to be at home, not doing anything. I don't want to be a distraction."

Revis' approach may have softened ever so slightly, but he wasn't in forgive-and-forget mode. Not at all. He defended his unconventional actions from Monday, telling ESPNNewYork.com he sat out a few plays "to let [the organization] know that, 'You know, don't promise things that you can't promise.' That's hurtful when things don't happen. You're waiting on someone's word for something to get done, and it's frustrating."

Revis said it wasn't his intention to make a statement to Ryan, or to make Ryan look bad.

"He got the message, but the message is not to Rex," said Revis, who participated fully Tuesday in both practices. "Rex wants to get it done the right way. It's not him, it's upstairs."

Revis reiterated that GM Mike Tannenbaum promised, as recently as April, that the organization wanted to make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. He said Ryan was in that same meeting and expressed the same sentiment.

The Oakland Raiders' Nnamdi Asomugha is the highest-paid cornerback, averaging $15.1 million per year -- including $16.2 million this season. Revis, due to make $1 million this season, wants to be in the $16 million neighborhood -- a Peyton and Eli Manning-esque neighborhood.

The Jets have said they're willing to renegotiate Revis' current contract, which has three years remaining, but they're believed to be offering around $10 million a year. They regard the Asomugha deal as an aberration.

"Negotiations get kind of crazy sometimes, but I'm here and I'm practicing," Revis said. "There's no hatred or anything like that. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time and let things be what they be."

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/ ... id=5289222

[zilby]

Thoughts and observations from Tuesday's practice sessions:

The newest backup? We all know that WR Brad Smith is used in the Jets' version of the Wildcat, receiving the direct snap from center. But on Tuesday, Smith took several reps as a real quarterback. In fact, he and Kellen Clemens split the reps in the late practice, with Mark Sanchez (knee) resting and Erik Ainge and Kevin O'Connell watching.

"If you think we're going to be in a Wildcat, or the Brad Smith offense with him back there, we can run a regular offense," Rex Ryan said. "That's going to be a big advantage for us."

Smith, of course, was a prolific running and passing quarterback at Missouri.

Praise for Holmes. WR Santonio Holmes continues to impress. This is what Ryan had to say about the former Super Bowl MVP: "There are times when he looks like the best player on the field."

From all indications, Holmes is learning quickly. Not only is he working in the X position (split end), where he played exclusively with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Holmes is getting a feel for the Z (flanker) as well. He likes the variety and believes it will enhance his game by creating more single coverage.

Rex likes his O. We all know that Ryan is fonding of bragging about his team's defensive prowess, but he did some big talking about the offense: "Our offense should be as dominant as our defense. I believe that. Well, close to it."

The sore Cro. CB Antonio Cromartie was limited in the second practice because of a sore hamstring. He's also dealing with "somewhat of a hip issue," according to secondary coach Dennis Thurman.

PSL update. The price-reduced PSLs for the New Meadowlands Stadium are now being offered to the general public, the team announced. Starting last Friday, they were made available only to season-ticket holders.

This and That: TE Dustin Keller had a big day, making a couple of long receptions on deep seam routes ... In saying he wants to be "a Jet forever," CB Darrelle Revis said he wants to be a modern-day version of Darrell Green, the former Washington Redskins great ... Revis picked off Clemens in the afternoon and returned it for a touchdown. What contract dispute?

Scholarship winner. Miy Mahran, of the Bronx, was named the winner of the first "Play Like a Jet" college scholarship. She is a cross-country and track athlete from the High School of Health Professions in Manhattan, and she's planning to attend Marist College. She will receive $5,000 toward her college education. The announcement was made by the Jets and the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL).

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/p ... -for-a-day

[zilby]

It was easy to find Braylon Edwards last season. He was the split end (X receiver), usually on the left side of the formation. This season, you may have to look around a bit to find No. 17.

In his first offseason with the Jets, Edwards is learning to play the other receiving positions in the offense -- flanker (Z) and even a little slot (F). What do these positions and letters mean, and how do they affect Edwards?

The split end is regarded as a stationary position, meaning no pre-snap motion. Against a defense that likes to play man-to-man coverage, that means a lot of bump-and-run at the line of scrimmage. Edwards (6-3, 215) should win those battles, considering he's bigger than every cornerback he faces, but it can be taxing and tiresome, fighting to get off the line.

By playing flanker, even some slot, Edwards can go in motion, moving around the formation. In essence, he'll be a moving target, and he likes that.

"It's actually fun," he said. "It gives me a chance to get free releases. It gives me a chance to see how the defense reacts in certain situations."

Santonio Holmes, too, is learning other spots after working exclusively as an X with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Holmes lobbied the Pittsburgh coaches for years to move him around, and he became frustrated by what he perceived as stubbornness. The Jets' coaches, he said, are more open-minded. (Holmes produced 1,248 receiving yards as an X, so those Steeler coaches evidently knew something.)

The point is, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is trying to create as much flexibility as possible. In theory, that should enable Holmes, Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery to get more playing time. Some people wonder if it'll work, if the trio of receivers will get enough P.T. and enough balls to stay happy.

Edwards was known as a diva in Cleveland, but from all indications, he's been a team guy this offseason.

"I don't mind working hard when I'm in a comfortable environment," he said. "This is football; this doesn't feel like a job. It had gotten to a point in my career where it felt like a job, just punching a clock to get in and get back home."

In Cleveland, where he chafed under Eric Mangini, Edwards said he skipped voluntary workouts, showing up only for OTAs and minicamps. I did some checking. As of Tuesday, Edwards had participated in only 29 workouts, meaning he's 11 shy of the required 40.

Okay, so he hasn't been a total gym rat. But it's progress.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/p ... in-offense

Can somebody just nickname his beard already?

[Rich Rane]

Jets prepared to make Revis highest paid CB...a little differently.
http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... 00m_offer/

I love Revis...I really do, but you can't justify a CB making Manning and Brady type money. We have him under contract for three more years (Yes, I know what he's supposed to make this year), but if he doesn't accept this, then I'm ready to live with him sitting the season. We still have more players who we don't have for a longer term than Revis that also need to be re-signed. Jets also need to have a good portion of that contract guaranteed and if possible, frontload it with the uncapped season.

Oh and if anyone sees Al Davis, throw something at him for Asomugha's contract.

[zilby]

After an hour heart-to-heart Wednesday afternoon in Rex Ryan 's office, the latest Darrelle Revis behavioral saga is officially over. Two days after Revis' brief "sick-out" to display his anger at the slow pace of contract negotiations, the coach and the cornerback pronounced themselves on the same page.

Now it remains to be seen whether it will have any bearing on Revis' long-term future. Or whether Revis will begin to realize that the team really is ready to make a huge investment in the 24-year-old star. More on that in a minute.

For now, it's all good.

"Being one of the leaders on this team, and showing guys how to do things right, a lot of young guys are looking up to me," Revis said after practice at New Meadowlands Stadium.

Message received.

"We had a great talk, and we're on the same page, seeing eye to eye," Ryan said. "We have the same goals and the same vision for this team."

Even so, there's no guarantee Revis will resolve his contract situation soon. And Ryan admitted that there's no telling whether Revis will report to training camp on time. The contract situations of several core players remain at issue, including disgruntled center Nick Mangold, tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and linebacker David Harris .

Revis is clearly front and center, and there has been no movement in talks aimed at a new deal. But there are a few things you should know that might influence the perception - created largely by Revis' and Mangold's critical comments - that the Jets are unwilling to invest significant money in their core players.

According to sources familiar with the situation, the Jets are willing to reward Revis with the biggest contract ever given to a defensive back, one that could even exceed $100 million.

Not only that, but the team is further along in negotiations with Ferguson on a long-term deal than is widely known. An agreement could be reached before the start of training camp, barring unexpected complications, according to people familiar with Ferguson's situation.

Mangold and the team aren't close to reaching a new deal, however. And although the Jets appear willing to invest in the center long-term, they also are leaving open the possibility that they'll let him play this season with his current contract and use the franchise tag next year, thereby limiting his options in 2011.

Harris isn't expected to get a new deal this year, but the team is likely to reward him with a deal next year that will make him one of the league's highest-paid linebackers.

For now, Revis continues to be under the most scrutiny, and he continues to demand a deal that will exceed Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha's three years for $45.3 million. The Jets are unwilling to meet Revis' demand for an average of $16.2 million per season.

What the Jets appear ready to do instead is add six years to the existing deal, a total package that, when added to the remaining $21 million Revis is owed would approach $100 million or more. That deal, which would average around $12 million per season, would keep Revis with the Jets until he is 33.

Revis told me after practice he didn't want to get into specific numbers. "I'm just trying to stay focused," he said. He added, however, he stands by his demand that his contract's yearly average must exceed Asomugha's.

So despite yesterday's détente, Revis still isn't convinced the Jets are showing loyalty. Funny, but how is a team not showing loyalty by going to a player with three years left on his contract, and then offering him a deal worth more money than most athletes will see in a lifetime?

If that's not loyalty, then what is?

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;js ... nopaging=1

Get 'er done, MT!

Ah, damn. Rich beat me to it.

[zilby]

It was suggested in the Newsday story that LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson could be the first of the "Core Four" to sign a long-term extension. Here's an update: The two sides have held preliminary talks, but they haven't gotten around to discussing numbers. That means they have a long way to go.

Ferguson is signed through 2011, but next year is a $10 million option and both sides probably want to do a deal before then.

Ferguson is a more likely candidate than C Nick Mangold and LB David Harris for a long-term deal because of the 30% rule. Now, in an uncapped year, a renegotiated contract can't increase by more than 30% in any one year, and it's based on 2009 compensation. For the purpose of the 30% rule, Ferguson made $6 million last season. That means he could receive a $1.8 million raise each year in a new deal, which adds up to a lot of money.

Mangold and Harris both made less than $1 million in '09, meaning they'd demand huge signing bonuses to bring their total packages up to fair-market value. One source told me a Ferguson deal is "plausible" based on the current CBA. Then again, anything is plausible if a team is willing to pay.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/p ... evis-brick

[zilby]

Before they scattered for some vacation time before the start of training camp, Rex Ryan and his coaching staff took a road trip, venturing into enemy territory -- the Baltimore Ravens.

Ryan & Co. will spend Friday at the Ravens' training facility in Owings Mills, Md., participating in the sixth annual NFL Softball Challenge. Ryan was a Ravens assistant for a decade, always enjoying the tournament. He left the Ravens in January, 2009, to coach the Jets, but he has maintained a good relationship with his old team and still receives a softball invitation.

The King & his Court, anyone?

The Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers also participate, as does a team from the NFL office. This is a pretty big deal; Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has been known to play. It's not for players, just coaches, front-office types and staff members. Ryan is the only head coach in this year's event. It's believed the Jets have more coaches on their roster than any other team.

What makes this year particularly intriguing is that the Jets face the Ravens in the regular-season opener --an ESPN-televised Monday night game in the New Meadowlands Stadium. You think that might come up Friday on the softball diamond? Of course it will.

Ryan, true to his unabashed nature, apparently did some pre-tournament chirping about his softball team. Asked if Ryan guaranteed a victory, running backs coach Anthony Lynn laughed.

"We're going down there with a bulls eye on our chest," he said.

The Jets' team includes Ryan, Lynn, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine (an ex-Ravens assistant), offensive assistant Mike Bloomgren, defensive assistant Jeff Weeks and Ryan's executive assistant, Laura Young.

"She's the best one of all of us," Lynn said.

It's supposed to be a fun thing, but the Jets took it fairly seriously. Just the other day, Ryan conducted a practice for his squad, complete with BP and infield practice. That had to be a weird sight, Ryan smacking balls around the Jets' practice fields.

"You might be surprised," Lynn said, "but Rex is a pretty good athlete."

The head coach was sizing up his roster. If Ryan coaches softball the way he does football, they should be a fantastic defensive team. The scouting report on Ryan is that he's a slick-fielding first baseman. And wields a big stick, of course.

UPDATE: Ryan showed up to the tournament wearing a No. 1 jersey with "Defense" stitched across the back -- a not-so-subtle statement to the other teams represented at the event. The Jets, of course, owned the No. 1 defense in the NFL last season.

"There are a lot of teams here that can play defense with Baltimore, Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia,” Ryan told BaltimoreRavens.com. “I figured I’d get under everyone’s skin as always and remind everyone who had the No. 1 defense in the league last year.”

The Jets lost by a run to the Redskins in their first game in the double-elimination tournament, but Ryan still is predicting a championship.

[ZigZag]

LOL Rex is nuts.

Yea Im not blaming Revis at all...Next year we maybe in a lockout..and look what happen to leon washington....Revis my fav player...go get paid my G.

[zilby]

TWO-HEADED BACKFIELD

When the Jets signed future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, it was widely assumed that he'd play a complementary role, with Shonn Greene rising to "feature-back" status. Hold everything. According to running backs coach Anthony Lynn, "I see myself as having two starters."

What Lynn meant is this: Playing time will be determined, in large part, by game situations and matchups. As he explained the other day, "It depends on the flow of the game. If we're better off in our big personnel, Shonn will get more touches. If we go little, like we did last year with Leon (Washington) in our nickel package, L.T. will get more touches. It's all situational."

Lynn compared it to the Washington-Thomas Jones tandem last season. If that's the case, the workloads will be fairly close to even. Before Washington's season-ending injury in Week 7, he had 70 carries and 15 catches for 85 touches. Jones had 96 carries and four receptions for 100 touches. That's almost a 50-50 split.

Is Tomlinson, who turns 31 on Wednesday, up to 14 touches per game -- 14 productive touches? There was nothing he did in OTAs or minicamp (at least nothing open to the media) that made you say, "Wow, he's back." But let's not send him to the glue factory just yet. Making a definitive statement about a running back in non-contact drills is like critiquing a movie based on the trailer.

CHUNKY GREENE

The organization has two concerns about Greene: Durability and weight. His ideal weight is 226 to 228 pounds, according to Lynn, but he showed up seven pounds overweight at the start of the off-season program. That's not a whole lot -- his rib injury in the AFC Championship Game may have affected his post-season conditioning -- but it's still something to keep an eye on.

As for injuries, Greene's physical running style will always make him more vulnerable to dings than most backs. But as Lynn said, "Down the road, he has to learn to play with pain and discomfort." He wasn't questioning Greene's toughness. Actually, Lynn recalled Greene's ankle injury in training camp, thinking at the time that he "snapped it ... It was ugly." It wasn't a long-term injury, as Greene made it back relatively quickly, but part of being an every-down back -- the Jets' goal for Greene -- is performing at less than 100%. Curtis Martin made a career of it, and he's going to Canton.

MORE ON REVIS' POTENTIAL HOLDOUT

Based on the risk-reward, it's possible that CB Darrelle Revis won't show up for training camp, Aug. 1. But if he doesn't, don't expect a prolonged holdout. People are forgetting that, because it's an uncapped year, there's a new rule in play:

If a holdout lasts beyond Aug. 10 -- 30 days before the first game of the league year (Minnesota Vikings-New Orleans Saints, Sept. 9), the player will not receive credit for a year of service. That means he'd be giving up a year toward free agency.

So if Revis stages a holdout until Aug. 10, will that accomplish anything? He and his agents have about six weeks to make that decision, assuming they don't get a new deal by then.

ANOTHER ANGLE TO THE REVIS DRAMA

It has been suggested in some places, including here a few weeks ago, that the Jets could create a temporary solution to the Revis mess by giving him a band-aid contract -- say, a $9 million bonus for 2010. That would bring his compensation to $10 million, more than any cornerback not named Nnamdi Asomugha. At the same time, it would buy time, allowing the two sides to revisit a long-term contract after the season, when perhaps the CBA landscape is defined.

Uh, just one problem: Teams aren't in the habit of giving away money for nothing. The Jets would be reluctant to give Revis a huge raise unless they receive something in return -- i.e. an additional year on his contract. The Jets are afraid of opening a can of worms, leading other players to demand "free money" raises. So, while a band-aid contract for Revis sounds good, it's not necessarily a cure-all.

THIS AND THAT

What's Rex Ryan doing for his vacation? He's going on a two-week Baltic cruise with his in-laws. "No matter what you're doing, I know it's better than that," he joked (we think). If his GM doesn't resolve some of these contract issues, Ryan will be riding the choppy waters right into training camp ... Sorry, I'm not buying the whole Jason Taylor/olive branch thing just yet. You can't erase years of bad blood, from both sides, in one minicamp practice. Special teams coach Mike Westhoff, a former Miami Dolphins assistant who has known Taylor since his early days in Miami, was amazed to see Taylor signing autographs for fans. "I told him to put a helmet on," Westhoff said ... One problem with the New Meadowlands Stadium: There isn't much O.B. room beyond the corners of the end zone. It could turn into Arena football, with receivers crashing into the wall ... One player really impressing the coaching staff is RG Brandon Moore. Ryan called him one of the best guards in the league. A few more bouquets and Moore's agent might start to get ideas.

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