Darelle Revis is adamant about signing a new contract and his holdout is testament to his belief that he deserves significantly more compensation. How much? He wants to be the highest paid corner in the league. There's one problem though- that is an awful lot of money after cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha signed a three year $45.1 million deal.

Asomugha is considered by many, especially athletes around the league, to be the best cornerback in the league. However, you probably haven't heard as much noise about him as Revis simply because quarterbacks throughout the have since learned to never throw the ball Asomugha's way in fear of him bringing it back for 6. Moreover, he doesn't receive as much media attention because the Oakland Raiders have become irrelevant since JeMarcus Russell hit the scene. Revis plays for the largets media market in the country and that's a large reason as to why he receives so much media attention. However, no cornerback has ever received this much attention as Revis has.

After last year's performance, Revis has proved himself to be elite- a shutdown corner. That term can rarely be used nowadays but Revis truly is what the term describes. Take a look at his stats last year:

WEEK 1 Vs TEXANS (Andre Johnson)
4 Receptions - 35 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 2 Vs PATRIOTS (Randy Moss)
4 Receptions - 29 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 3 Vs TITANS (Justin Gage)
3 Receptions - 33 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 4 Vs SAINTS (Marques Colston)
2 Receptions - 28 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 6 Vs BILLS (Terrell Owens)
3 Receptions - 13 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 7 Vs RAIDERS (Louis Murphy)
1 Reception- 6 Yards- 0 TD's
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WEEK 11 Vs PATRIOTS (Randy Moss)
5 Receptions - 34 Yards - 1 TD
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WEEK 8 Vs DOLPHINS (Ted Ginn Jr.)
0 Receptions - 0 Yards = 0 TD's
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WEEK 10 Vs JAGUARS (Mike Sims Walker)
0 Receptions - 0 Yards - 1 TD
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WEEK 11 Vs PATRIOTS (Randy Moss)
4 Receptions - 29 Yards - 1 TD
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WEEK 12 Vs PANTHERS (Steve Smith)
1 Reception - 4 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 13 Vs BILLS (Terrell Owens)
3 Receptions - 31 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 15 Vs ATLANTA (Roddy White)
4 Receptions - 33 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 16 Vs INDIANAPOLIS (Reggie Wayne)
3 Receptions - 33 Yards - 0 TD's
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WEEK 17 Vs CINCINNATI (Chad Johnson)
0 Receptions - 0 Yards - 0 TD's
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WC Vs CINCINNATI (Chad Johnson)
2 Receptions - 2 - 28 yards - 0TD's

No one and I mean no one has had such numbers against such elite wide receivers in this game since Champ Bailey in his prime (and he didn't face elite receivers week in and week out). Deion Sanders, considered by many to be the best cornerback ever, never even faced such stiff competition. Revis is in a class all by himself after what he did last year and Nnamdi never faced the competition that Revis did this past year. The argument has to be made that Revis is not only the best cornerback in the league, but the best defensive player in the league.

The stats don't even do Revis justice, because if you watched New York Jets games last year you'd clearly understand how special this guy is and how integral he is to the Jet defense. Blitz packages can be sent to bumrush the quarterback and safeties don't have to drop back in double coverage. More help can be brought to the other side of the field or the safeties and linebackers can play up to make a big play or stop the run more efficiently. Lastly, statistics of all the other guys go up- interceptions by the corners who are covering the receivers that the QB throws to instead of the stuffed WR on Revis Island, sacks go up because the quarterback can't release the ball in time because no one is open, more tackles are made inside the box when they have to do short passes instead of their long routes, and more fumbles are created when they have to rush the ball instead of pass. I call this the Revis ripple effect.

Everything this guy does well has so much more of an effect than on his particular island. His effect surpasses that island and leaves an impact on Jet nation. However, the entire defense is predicated and designed based upon the assumption that he will shut down his opponent. If he fails, the other team will torch the Jets every time, because there will be no safety assisting Revis on a fly route. If Revis misreads the route and comes one step forward thinking it's a slant or a post, Touchdown Miami. It's that simple. If Revis isn't as good as he is, Tom Brady can release the ball in time before has to throw it away from pressure because Randy Moss couldn't get open in time.

It is clear then that Revis means so much to this defense. He is their backbone and clearly the best player on the team and possibly the league.  It should follow then that the highest performing players should receive the most compensation. Isn't that how a free market economy is supposed to work? You get paid in accordance with the performance. It works this way with stockbrokers and lawyers. Why shouldn't that continue in this case?

Well, not to mention that Revis signed a contract that he negotiated just a few years ago, the Jets are not particularly worried about overpaying for Revis. They know he is worthy of every penny he is asking for. However, it is clear that Woody Johnson (the owner of the New York Jets) is worried about setting precedent for other players to get away with this kind of behavior (players asking for renegotiations every single year if they cave in to Revis' demands) as well as the contract agreement taking up too much salary space to keep a competitive team for years to come.

First point: setting precedent. As soon as Revis opened his mouth, we heard cries from D'Brickashaw, Nick Mangold, etc. It is inevitable that if you give in to one guy's expectations, others will come roaring. The New York Yankees never renegotiated with any of their players. They rather just let them go and they did just fine. Should the Jets do the same and risk losing this shutdown corner and one that their defense is set completely around? I would suggest that Revis is a very delicate situation and this man is necessary to the entire Jets organization that you have to keep him regardless of the cost. This isn't like baseball where one player doesn't affect the other players' performance. Football is a very team-oriented sport (not like one batter facing one pitcher), and as aforementioned Revis' effect is larger than his own island.

Second point: contract agreement. As of now, this year is not affected by a salary cap. However, with tremendous pressure from a coalition of owners, next year will not be a pretty situation. These mega contracts are going to take a dive and the owners will not give in to the Player's Association similar to how they played replacements in the 1987 season. The owners have too much power and football is so revered that we'll watch it no matter who plays. The union does not have the same power as in baseball, so you can bet your two quarters that we'll see contract cuts next year. With that being said, Revis has to understand where the Jets are coming from. If they make this man the highest paid player for a long-term deal, they are foregoing salaries to other premiere players. It is very hard for a football team to stay competitive without tremendous balance and a chunk of the salary cap going to one player on a 44 man squad will hurt the team tremendously, regardless of how good he is.

Solution: Renegotiate the contract for one year- making him the highest paid corner in the league for this year and renegotiate the terms next year when given an idea of what the salary cap will be. Pay the man $16 million dollars this year and end this parade. Call a truce, Woody Johnson, simply because you predicated your defense around one man and you cannot let that one man go. Revis is that integral to the Jets organization that the organization needs to settle this immediately before he sits out for the season's entirety.

Will the fact that Revis is sitting out of practice affect him during the season?

Absolutely not. Revis is a harder worker than anyone in the league. Lawrence Taylor used to sit out of training camps all the time and played phenomenal seasons. This will be no different. Revis worked his tail off to get where he is today and will no take his foot off the pedal. He trains with his trainer during the off-season for 4 hours outside working on cone drills and footwork in addition to a heavy-duty weightlifting routine where he does countless bench presses and squats to stimulate the trauma done to his chest and legs during a game (pressing off a receiver and sprinting for close to 100 plays). Revis trains like an animal and will be ready come Game 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.