His name has barely come up during the first three weeks of training camp. His old jersey has already been handed out to two different players. Darrelle Revis has been the ghost no one talks about at Jets camp.
The quarterback competition has dominated the conversation in camp to this point, overshadowing the fact the team’s best player was traded in the offseason. Revis’ former teammates say it was a little strange at first not having him around, but they have adapted.
“You know what’s crazy about [Revis], man? I’m not going to say it was always something, but you had the holdout one year and then he got hurt,” linebacker Calvin Pace said. “Obviously I would love for him to be here. I consider him a friend. But I just think the story, the saga, everyone knew what to expect. You know how it was going to be. Now it’s moved on.”
Pace made it clear Revis is a good friend of his, and he did not blame Revis for the drama that always seemed to surround him during camp.
“I don’t personally think it was any drama with him,” Pace said. “It was just with getting the contract ironed out. A lot of times, man, the business side sours relationships. On the outside, people probably think there’s bad blood between us and Revis. That’s totally ridiculous.”
Cornerback Kyle Wilson said the Jets defense does not expect any drop off without Revis.
“I think we’re the same old team striving to get better, especially defensively,” Wilson said. “We’re good either way. Darrelle is a heck of a player, but we’re all about the Jets and the people in this locker room fighting and grinding with us every day.”
Pace said fans approach him sometimes expecting him to rip Revis after the team traded him to the Buccaneers — who the Jets will see when they open up the regular season Sept. 8.
“Sometimes people ask me about Revis. He’s a cool guy, man,” Pace said. “You’re sitting next to a superstar, and he’s the humblest guy you could ever be around. … Everyone would love to play with one team, but it just doesn’t work that way. Everyone’s chasing that dollar.”
* Jets coach Rex Ryan said the starters will play the first half Saturday night against the Jaguars. … Ryan said no one has been ruled out tomorrow. It would be surprising if RB Joe McKnight (head), WR Clyde Gates (head), P Robert Malone (back) NT Kenrick Ellis (back) or LB Josh Mauga (back) play. All have either not practiced or been restricted this week. … The Jets broke training camp in Cortland Thursday.
* The Jaguars announced Blaine Gabbert will start at quarterback . Running back Maurice Jones-Drew also is expected to play.