Glauber: Revis' holdout could be trickier than most

CORTLAND, N.Y.

Clearly upset about star cornerback Darrelle Revis' holdout from training camp, Rex Ryan offered up a compromise to break the impasse.

"I'll give him my contract, and I'll take the one that he turned down," Ryan quipped, referring to his own two-year contract extension through the 2014 season. "Let's just go ahead and do that and we'll be fine."

Ryan wouldn't divulge the total value of his own deal - the NFL's highest-paid coaches make about $7 million a season - but it is easily dwarfed by the $100-million deal the Jets have offered to Revis.

So it's on to Plan B, as both sides continue the negotiating dance that so far has failed to achieve a resolution. When it ends is anyone's guess, but the Jets clearly hope they can get their best player into camp soon.

Will it happen? Most likely it will. History says contract hassles are routinely resolved, regardless of the rhetoric that occurs before a new deal is reached.

But Revis might be more willing than most to sit out until the Jets meet his demands to be the NFL's highest-paid cornerback, which in this case is a deal that exceeds the $15-million-a-year average of the Raiders' Nnamdi Asomugha.

Revis feigned illness during a minicamp practice in hopes of drawing attention to his contract situation. And his strident language, mixed in with a few perfunctory statements about wanting to be a Jet for the remainder of his career, makes you think this one will be trickier than most.

It doesn't help when general manager Mike Tannenbaum provided this summation Sunday about the team's willingness to be flexible in doing a deal: He offered three options to Revis and his agents. 1. A long-term deal that would have kept Revis in a Jets uniform for the rest of his career. 2. A short term, or "band-aid" solution. 3. A face-to-face meeting.

Not even a face-to-face meeting? Sheesh.

No matter, Tannenbaum said. He's still willing to make a deal. "We remain committed to finding a solution that makes sense for him and for us," he said.

Revis has three years left on his current deal but is scheduled to make only $1 million this season, a pittance for the NFL's top cornerback. Tannenbaum declined to say whether yesterday's holdout was grounds for the team to take away the $20 million in guaranteed money from the current deal for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

"He's not here, and that's his prerogative," Tannenbaum said. "Fundamentally, we don't have an agreement on total compensation."

Tannenbaum said he remains optimistic a deal will get done. "I'm paid to solve problems,'' he said. "I go into every situation hoping it would work out. When that solution comes, it's hard to say. But it hasn't been for a lack of communication."

One of Revis' agents, Jonathan Feinsod, told me last night that they "waited until the last possible minute in hopes something will get done." It didn't get done. And how long might Revis hold out? "I haven't checked my crystal ball," he said.

Feinsod wouldn't get into contract details, other than to say, "Any offer the Jets have made has been unsatisfactory."

With the Jets talking Super Bowl after their stirring run to the AFC Championship Game last season, they begin the journey without their best player. Ryan had hoped a deal could be worked out before the opener against the Ravens, and offered up a reminder of an experience he had in 2000. Ryan was the Ravens' defensive coordinator, and tackle Tony Siragusa held out most of training camp. Siragusa finally reached an agreement days before the opener against Pittsburgh.

"We went out there and shut 'em out 16-0 and went on to win the Super Bowl," Ryan said. "I know Darrelle and I know he's missing it. I know how much he wants to be here and how much he loves playing and loves this team."

But for now, it's not about football for the Jets' fourth-year cornerback. For now, it's all about the money.