The New York Jets opened training camp without cornerback Darrelle Revis, Albert Haynesworth missed another practice with the Washington Redskins after failing to take a conditioning test, and the San Diego Chargers finally signed rookie running back Ryan Mathews.
Revis is holding out while locked in a contract dispute with the Jets, and there’s no telling how long the All-Pro might stay away.
“Darrelle and his family were extremely deliberate with the decision-making process,” agent Neil Schwartz told the Associated Press. “Obviously his actions speak far louder than words.”
Revis didn’t show for the team’s conditioning test Sunday morning at the Jets’ training facility in Florham Park, N.J., and officially became a holdout when he missed the team’s first meeting at 5:30 p.m. in Cortland, N.Y.
Not good news for a team with its sights set on a Super Bowl.
Schwartz and agent Jon Feinsod said both sides worked until the last minute to get something done. General manager Mike Tannenbaum said the Jets offered long-term and short-term deals, and a face-to-face meeting in the last 72 hours and all three were denied.
Haynesworth’s sore left knee kept him from taking the conditioning test once again, forcing him to sit out practice for the fourth straight day.
“There’s no change from yesterday,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “He’s still sore, irritated, getting treatment, working out, and we’ll see if he’s ready to go tomorrow.”
The two-time All-Pro defensive tackle won’t be allowed to practice until he passes the test. He failed it on the first day of training camp Thursday and again on Friday. He didn’t take it Saturday because he had a small amount of swelling in his knee.
After Sunday’s practice was over, Haynesworth emerged for what has become a daily ritual. He spent about 15 minutes walking through plays with defensive coordinator Jim Haslett and defensive line coach Jacob Burney, learning the nuances of the team’s new 3-4 defense.
Haynesworth is the only Redskins player required to take the test because he skipped the team’s offseason conditioning program, partly because he wanted to work out on his own and mostly because he didn’t want to play nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme and was hoping for a trade.
Mathews signed a five-year, $25.65 million contract with the Chargers, with just more than $15 million in guaranteed money. The heir apparent to LaDainian Tomlinson, Mathews was expected to be at Sunday’s late-afternoon practice. He missed seven practices, including three for rookies and selected veterans last week.
San Diego moved up 16 spots in the draft to take Mathews with the 12th pick overall. He’ll replace Tomlinson, the 2006 NFL MVP who was released in the offseason and then signed with the Jets.
Late Sunday night, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they had come to terms with their first-round pick, defensive tackle Tyson Alualu from California. The deal is for five years and worth about $28 million. It includes more than $17 million guaranteed, but Alualu’s agent says the proposed deal had not been approved by his client.
“We’re close, but my client has still not signed off on it,” agent Kenneth Zuckerman said. “I think they’re just excited. That’s all I think it is. I think someone jumped the gun.”
At San Antonio, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo said his arm has been sore for a couple of days. He says it’s normal and nothing to worry about.
After the Cowboys finished their ninth day of training camp a week before their preseason opener, Romo said he started cutting back on his throws after first feeling soreness Saturday. He described it as “usually about a two- or three-day thing.”
Romo says he is too competitive to be on the field without participating and plans to keep grinding because there is so much to be working on.
At Latrobe, Pa., Steelers kicker Jeff Reed wasn’t happy to learn he won’t be signed to the multiyear contract he expected after being designated as the team’s franchise player.
The Steelers told Reed earlier in the year they wanted to work out an extended contract. Any chance that deal would get done apparently ended when right tackle Willie Colon was injured in June and Flozell Adams signed a two-year contract to replace him.
Reed, who signed a one-year contract for $2,814,000, can become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
“All I can do is play this year out and that’s pretty much it,” Reed said. “I was very optimistic last offseason and that didn’t get me anywhere.”
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