Darrelle Revis Traded to Tampa Bay For 13th Overall Pick, Pending Physical [Update: It's Official]
By Jason McIntyre
Darrelle Revis, the best cornerback in the NFL, has been traded from the Jets to the Tampa Bay Bucs in exchange for multiple draft picks, including the 13th overall in this year’s draft. The deal will become official once Revis passes a physical, which is scheduled for later today.
[UPDATE: And just like that, it’s official. Revis has passed his physical.]
Revis, who suffered a torn ACL in week two last season, will provide immediate help to Tampa Bay, which was last in the NFL against the pass in 2012, allowing 297 yards per game. The Bucs play in a division where three of the top 16 passing attacks from 2012 toil – Saints (1st), Falcons (5th), Panthers (16th).
The Jets, who lost half their defense in free agency, now lose the cornerstone of what was one of the league’s best defenses from 2009-2012. The ability of Revis to shut down half of the field by himself allowed the Jets to mix blitz packages and confuse QBs in the 2010 and 2011 playoffs, and they beat Carson Palmer and Philip Rivers en route to the 2010 AFC title game (lost to Peyton Manning) and then Peyton Manning and Tom Brady en route to the 2011 AFC title game (lost to Ben Roethlisberger).
The Jets are a team in rebuilding mode. Coming off a second straight disappointing season that ended without a trip to the playoffs, the Jets are going through immense turnover and have needs just about everywhere on offense/defense. The draft picks will help, but this feels like a 4-12 or 5-11 team.
I’m going to drop my final mock draft on Tuesday, but I still think the Jets need to go defense-defense at 9th and 13th. I like the Mingo/Dee Milliner combo, if both are there; if not, Mingo/Kenny Vaccaro. I love Tyler Eifert, the Notre Dame tight end, and one of those picks might have to be him.