Darrelle Revis Says Knee Preventing Him From Playing Man-to-Man Early In Year

Oct 13, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) runs out of the tunnel before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

There have been questions about how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are using their star corner Darrelle Revis. Revis has been used in more zone coverages this season, when his strength is his ability to lock up with a team’s top wide receiver and shut him down.

Revis helps answer that question today by telling fans that he wasn’t able to lock up man-to-man in coverage earlier in the year because his knee wouldn’t’ let him do it. His knee wasn’t to full strength and he wasn’t able to be as effective as he would have liked at his position.

Revis is the top corner in the game when he is healthy. The ability to take a receiver out of the game is the reason why the Buccaneers brought him over onto the roster. That is why some felt that the Buccaneers defense would get a huge boost this season. Since he hasn’t been able to get to that form, the defense has struggled and people have questioned why Revis has been used in zone coverage so often.

Is Revis’ knee any better at this point or does he need a whole season to get that full confidence in the knee? He only says that he is starting to get the knee to respond the way he wants now, but that doesn’t sound like it is at the spot that he wants yet. We likely will not see the Darrelle Revis of old this season, but will we ever see him back?