Friday, January 25, 2013
Who wants Darrelle Revis?
By Tim Kavanagh
UPDATE: In a column for ESPNNewYork.com, Ian O'Connor writes that Revis should want out of the mess that is the New York Jets. For a reaction to that idea, check the bottom of the post for ESPN AFC East blogger James Walker's thoughts. For buzz on which teams may make a play for Revis, read ahead.
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As the 2012 season was coming to a close, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com detailed some thoughts he had on what the New York Jets could or should do this offseason to get themselves back on track. Included amongst his ideas was the notion that the team should explore trading star CB Darrelle Revis. It sounded crazy then, but apparently it's something that could happen in the coming weeks.
A source close to team owner Woody Johnson revealed that Johnson is open to trading Revis. There are a number of factors here: first off, Revis is coming off a torn ACL, meaning that the market for his services may not yield as big of a package in return. However, due to certain clauses in Revis' current contract, the deal voids after 2013, and the Jets do not have the ability to use the franchise tag on him; if he performs up to his previous All-Pro level this upcoming season, they'd be hard-pressed to afford him in the 2014 offseason, and could lose him to free agency with no return compensation. In that sense, getting anything back for this rebuilding franchise is better than the nothing they'd get back next offseason.
So who would be interested? A healthy Revis would instantly change the fortunes of any other team in the league. Whether he'll be back up to that level is the great unknown; some players -- Adrian Peterson is the recent example -- have returned from ACL surgery just as good as their old self while others have not. Nevertheless, for teams that can afford Revis within their current salary cap situation -- teams such as Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Jacksonville, Miami, New England, Seattle, Tampa Bay and Tennessee are somewhat flush with space this offseason -- it's certainly a gamble worth taking, given both the advances in the medical field recently as well as the high level of Revis' play prior to the injury. Bear in mind that that is not a list of potential suitors -- the Jets will not be trading Revis within the division, and Seattle seems OK at the CB position -- but rather the teams that would seem to have the cap space to accommodate Revis.
Any talk of return compensation required to land Revis is purely speculative at this point, but it would likely involve multiple draft picks and/or a starting-caliber player returned in the process. For the sake of comparison, the Colts traded a future second-round pick to Miami for Vontae Davis last preseason.
James Walker
Should Revis want out?"Revis is a stud on a team that's not close to a championship. The Jets probably won't pay him in 2014, either. So a separation might be best for both parties."
