The Jets' owner denied the notion that cash-flow concerns could prevent the team from giving Revis a significant signing bonus and reiterated that "total compensation" of the contract was the primary stumbling block at this point.
The team made two offers in the past few days - a short-term fix and long-term option - that were rejected by Revis' camp. Although the Jets maintain that they're willing to be flexible in terms of guaranteed money, neither offer contained a significant signing bonus, according to a source.
"I'll go down and visit Revis and we can talk about it," Johnson said at camp Monday. "If he has problems with either one of these deals, maybe that's a good starting point. We think the deals that we offered were fair from our standpoint and our perception of his standpoint."
"The lines of communication are totally open," he added. "If Darrelle wants me to visit him, I'll go out and see him wherever he is and talk to him and his family."
The Jets confirmed Monday night that general manager Mike Tannenbaum would reach out to Revis' agents no later than Tuesday to discuss the possibility of Johnson meeting face-to-face with Revis in help get a deal done.
Revis is scheduled to earn $1 million in 2010, with three years left on his rookie deal. He has expressed his desire to get more money that the top-paid cornerback, Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha, which would mean a salary in the $15 million-$16 million per year range.
For a team that has made a flurry of offseason moves to reinforce its Super Bowl or bust mantra, the contract impasse with their best defensive player could stain a season filled with promise.
"Am I disappointed? Yes," Johnson said. "I would like everything to be clear sailing right to the Super Bowl. We win that and boom boom ... we're done. Part of running a team and running a franchise is dealing with disappointment and trying to make things right for the team and actually for the players as well."
Johnson admitted that the uncertain labor landscape wouldn't necessarily preclude the team from making a short- or long-term deal, either. The owner maintained that doling out significant cash wasn't a concern, but didn't specifically say the Jets would give Revis a lot of fully guaranteed money.
"We've never had an inability (with) lack of resources to sign whoever we wanted," Johnson said. "We can go down the list. You want to talk about Brett Favre or even Mark Sanchez in terms of signing the players we want. We can do it. But we have to do it in the context of what's best for the organization."
Johnson said he's placed his trust in Tannenbaum to get a deal done
Dustin Keller for the centerpiece of the defense.
"I hired him, and I extended him, because I think he has very good judgment," Johnson said of the GM. "I'm not going to impose my judgment on him, saying, 'Well, I don't like this deal. I do like this deal.' If he comes to me with recommendations and says, 'Woody, I think this is fair for us, and I think it's a good deal for Revis,' we'll do it today."
The Jets revealed their contingency plan on the second day of Revis' holdout.
Antonio Cromartie played the left side - Revis' spot - after playing right cornerback for much of his career in San Diego. Dwight Lowery played opposite Cromartie with rookie Kyle Wilson playing nickel.
Laveranues Coles wanted to retire a Jet. And he knows that might mean his career is over before the season ends.
Rex Ryan was straight with the Coles when they discussed his return to
Bart Scott the team that drafted him in 2000. Coles is going to compete for playing time when Santonio Holmes serves a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. After that, Coles could be cut.
"I'm a realist," Coles said "I look at things the way it is. Of course they have a great core without me. The circumstances call for them to bring somebody else in like myself, a veteran guy, to try and help out while he's gone.
Ryan said that Holmes was just too valuable a player to have
Braylon Edwards any doubt that he'll be playing after his suspension ends. Despite Coles' history on the Jets, Ryan wasn't sentimental when discussing Coles' future.
"He could get cut, he could make the Pro Bowl," Ryan said. "But I was upfront with him."
Coles was twice a Jet, after he was drafted and after a three-year tenure as a Redskin ending in 2005. In 2008 he refused to speak publicly after his friend and quarterback Chad Pennington was cut for Brett Favre's arrival. Coles spent last season with the Bengals, where he had 43 catches for 514 yards.
On Monday after the Jets first practice, Coles said he wasn't planning to get to play with quarterback Mark Sanchez quite yet, that he still needed to prove himself working with the second- and third-string offense.
"And again I know right now we're thinking short term but while I am here I'm going to give my 110 percent, and trust me, it's going to be fun," Coles said.
Coles said he wanted to end his career with the Jets, even if it was just by
Darrelle Revis signing a one-day contract like Ike Hilliard and David Tyree did last week with the Giants. Now that he is here, Coles said he wouldn't look for another team when the Jets can't use him anymore.
"This is the last hoorah, the boat stops here trust me," Coles said.