Greg Bishop draws an analogy between Darrelle Revis' contract saga with that of Leon Washington a year ago.
Washington said the Jets reminded him of his importance, told him they wanted him to stay and said they wanted to work out another deal. Washington held out, but that lasted only a few hours. He played the 2009 season under a $1.1 million contract that seemed below market value.
But his season ended in October, in Week 7, when he broke his leg in a blowout victory against Oakland. The Jets traded him during the draft in April for a fifth-round pick. Linebacker David Harris and cornerback Dwight Lowery, among others, said this week that the entire team took note. "You have to get what you can, when you can," Lowery said.
Washington agreed this week that his situation probably had an effect on Revis in contract negotiations. The two remain good friends. Their families are also close. Washington said he never instructed Revis to hold out, but repeatedly told Revis to "do what’s best for your family." If that meant holding out, so be it.
Washington said his 2009 experience "absolutely" played a role in Revis’s situation. Told that it also appeared to have an effect on the Jets’ locker room, he added: "I’m close with all the guys over there, so we still talk often. They have lives, too. The situation there in New York, that’s their situation. I’m in Seattle. I’ve got a whole different outlook. When it comes to Darrelle, obviously, my situation makes them think differently."
It seems to me the lesson in Leon's saga is to not hold out for every last dollar. He reportedly had an offer of $5 million per season on the table. He made just over $1 million last season, is due under $2 million this year, and has no long term deal still.