Jets general manager John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan reiterated their position that they're pleased to continue to have cornerback Darrelle Revis wear the green and white in response to several questions fired at them from fans in a conference call with the Jets' season ticket holders this afternoon.
"We won't really discuss contractual things publicly," said Idzik. "Suffice it to say, Darrelle Revis is a New York Jet and we're very, very happy to have him as a New York Jet. Our focus is purely on getting him better. He sustained a pretty significant injury and he's been busting his tail on his rehab. We're monitoring that closely, and by his doctors' account he's doing very well, he's ahead of schedule.
"We're anxious to get him back in the building, back with his teammates, and having him help us not only on the field but in the building in his approach. We're very fortunate we have a player like Darrelle on our team."
"I would stand firm saying there was no truth to that," Ryan repeated of his denial last month about reports of the Jets having had any discussions about trading their All-Pro corner. "I made the comments I made because that's what I believe to be the truth."
Idzik and Ryan spoke for a little more than a half hour with the season ticket holders, fielding about 20 questions. Animal, vegetable or mineral, anyone? They didn't have much new information for the fans, nor could they or should they have. The Jets have shifted into pro mode as the start of the unrestricted free agency signing period approaches a week from Tuesday, and both last week and in the coming two months they'll also be concentrating on the college side of the offseason, meaning the NFL Draft in late April. The two Jets officials weren't able to go into specifics on many of the fans' hot-button questions.
But they did underscore their position on Revis and on a few other topics. Idzik, for instance, was asked about what lies ahead for the relationship between the Jets and QB Tim Tebow.
"Tim, as you know, is currently on our roster," Idzik said. "What we're doing is we're trying to increase competition at that position and at positions across the board. We're going to let the competition play out, we're going to see who we're able to bring on board, and I think that'll be healthy for all concerned, including Tim."
As for incumbent starter Mark Sanchez and any other competition coming from signing a free agent veteran either now or once the UFA period begins, Ryan went back to familiar territory.
"I'm not sure who we're going to end up with, but the process, the personnel department is doing a tremendous job, and they're involving the coaches a great deal as well," the head coach said. "We'll be ready for free agency. What that means specifically about this player or that player, I guess we'll find out in the near future, but I think we're excited free agency is upon us."
One element continues to come through especially in regard to Idzik taking over the Jets' front office, and that's that the veteran football man just doesn't see the Green & White's situation regarding the salary cap, free agency, the draft, or anything else as an impediment to the Jets making progress quickly back from last season's 6-10 resting spot.
"I don't look at them as constraints," Idzik told a season ticket holder named Jim who said he went back to the Jets' 1968 AFL Championship Game, when he and his friends danced on the Shea Stadium turf after their comeback triumph over the Raiders.
"We're dealing with it. Our whole goal is to help build in flexibility so we'll have options in free agency, and certainly we'll have options in the draft. Our aim is to have you dancing again, Jim, four decades later. That'd be kind of cool."
