Jets' center Nick Mangold
ESPN New York’s Rich Cimini is back on the Jets’ beat today with a report on the team’s desire to sign their “Core Four.” That would be Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, David Harris, and D’Brickashaw Ferguson. It’s hard to imagine the Jets without any of these core players, and according to a league source, “The club has “allocated enough money” to get all four players locked up to long-term deals.” Cimini reports that “according to league executives, the Big Four will cost at least $100 million in guarantees.”
From Cimini’s article:
In the coming months, the Jets will be under pressure to satisfy their top players. Revis was a no-show for Thursday’s voluntary practice because he’s unhappy with his negotiations. He wants to be the highest-paid cornerback in the league — about $16 million per year — and there appears to be a huge gap in negotiations.Revis has three years remaining on his current contract for a total of $21 million, assuming the Jets exercise a buyback for 2011 and 2012. The Jets are showing no sense of urgency, and they still have two months before training camp.
They’re proceeding with caution, in part, because of the uncertain future of the collective bargaining agreement. But they’re also taking a big risk because Revis is their best player and is revered in the locker room. The organization would take a PR hit if it alienates their most valuable defensive player.
Mangold and Harris are entering the final year of their deals; Ferguson is signed through 2011, but the final year is a $10 million option.
Mangold has been a good soldier, showing up for practices and saying the right things, but he’s privately seething, according to a source. The All-Pro center, hinting he might consider a training-camp holdout, said he wants a new deal by the start of the regular season.
Click here to read the entire article.
I’ll say this: People who accuse the Jets of pinching pennies are way off base. This is an organization that brought in LaDainain Tomlinson, Anthony Cromartie, Santonio Holmes, Jason Taylor, Brodney Pool, and Nick Folk. Alright, so Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and Alan Faneca are gone, but the Jets have replacements in place. And now, a commitment to sign these four? Sounds pretty good to me.
