National Football League

Jets GM calls Revis to clear air

Published Jan. 25, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

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John Idzik was in full damage control mode in his first day at the New York Jets' facility.

The newly hired general manager reached out to Darrelle Revis on Thursday, a few hours after the star cornerback wrote on Twitter that he was ''speechless'' about rampant trade rumors.

Idzik told NBC's Pro Football Talk on Friday that Revis ''reacted well'' to the phone call, which came after the GM, owner Woody Johnson and coach Rex Ryan were non-committal about the cornerback's future with the team. Revis expressed his frustration on Twitter, prompting the call from Idzik, introduced as the replacement for the fired Mike Tannenbaum hours earlier.

''We haven't taken that first step, and that's what I relayed to Darrelle,'' Idzik told Pro Football Talk.

Revis, recovering from a major knee injury, is expected to draw plenty of interest on the trade market.

''I made sure he knew exactly where we were coming from and that this is my first day on the job,'' Idzik said, ''and our message to everyone was, `Give us a chance to get to know each other and introduce ourselves to each other.'''

A published report Wednesday night said Johnson, concerned that the Jets won't be able to re-sign Revis next year, wants to explore trade options rather than risk losing him for nothing as a free agent next winter. Revis' contract voids after the 2013 season, and he is expected to ask for around $16 million a year.

Johnson would neither confirm nor deny that the report was true, adding that he didn't know where it came from. Idzik and Ryan, who has repeatedly called Revis one of the best players he has ever coached, were also non-committal about the player's future.

''I'm not going to get into any of those specifics right now,'' Ryan said. ''I think, let's let the process run its course and I'm confident that any decision made, that this organization (makes), will be without question in the best interest of this football team.''

Revis missed most of this past season with a torn ligament in his left knee, but Johnson said Thursday that it appears the cornerback's rehabilitation is going as planned.

''I saw Darrelle the other day and if you looked at Darrelle, I think he's going to come back and be 100 percent,'' Johnson said. ''I don't think there's any question.''

An issue in dealing Revis will be whether the Jets would be able to get what they deem is fair value for him. Whether that means getting multiple draft picks, including at least a first-rounder, is uncertain, but Revis' injury situation might hinder that a bit. Still, CBSSports.com reported Friday that several teams are ''highly interested'' in trading for Revis.

Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie told NFL.com Friday that the team ''can't lose a guy like (Revis).'' Cromartie stepped up, though, in Revis' absence and established himself as a No. 1-type cornerback - which could help soften the blow if the Jets deal Revis.

''He's a great leader in the locker room and also in our DB room, making sure that guys are accountable for each other,'' Cromartie told NFL.com. ''To lose a guy like that would be huge. And even though he's coming off the surgery, I believe he'll come back as strong as ever.''

Notes: Cromartie also weighed in on struggling QB Mark Sanchez, saying he wasn't the sole reason for the Jets' 6-10 season. ''We have confidence in Mark,'' Cromartie said from Hawaii after practice for the Pro Bowl. ''Like I've always said, even with the whole (Tim) Tebow thing, if we're going to sign Mark to a three-year extension, we need to make sure we put guys around him.'' Cromartie indicated that that wasn't the case for Sanchez, who was benched late in the season. ''When you don't have a supporting cast around him, you're going to get an average or below-average quarterback,'' Cromartie said. ''That's what we got.''

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