Darrelle Revis: Keep Him or Trade Him?
By Josh Carter
August 30, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) shown on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
As a Jets fan I’ve had mixed feelings with these Revis trade rumors. He’s one of the best players ever to wear green and white. At the same time, you may get enough from him to bring the Jets from being a below mediocre Buffalo Bills caliber team to a heating up Cincinnati Bengals caliber team all in this offseason. Here would be some ideal plans for either situation:
Aug 18, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets defensive back Kyle Wilson (20) celebrates with teammate Darrelle Revis (24) during the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aristide Economopoulos/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports
KEEP HIM!
I think everyone’s (including my) 1st choice is that Darrelle Revis retires a NY Jet. He should have gotten the contract extension last off-season instead of Mark Sanchez, but that’s why Mike Tannenbaum is gone. At this point the Jets are very likely to trade Revis. But it may be better to offer him a long term backloaded contract that will retire him a Jet and save cap during the first would be year of his new contract. They could then afford to let LaRon Landry go and downgrade to an older, cheaper short term band aid safety like Charles Woodson or Ed Reed who can still do a fine job managing a secondary when studs like Revis and Cromartie as its pillars. The Jets can then additionally use some cap on a much needed under the radar free agent in Patriots guard Donald Thomas. Last year Thomas filled in for injured Logan Mankins and started 7 games for New England. This would help fill a much needed spot on New York’s offensive line and can have the Jets sitting pretty for the NFL draft. These free agent moves will give the Jets a clear draft strategy in using the #9 pick on Dion Jordan or Ziggy Ansah (if they’re lucky enough to have one fall to pick #9). Otherwise, they may be able to trade back a few spots for Georgia standout linebacker, Jarvis Jones, whose medical concerns may push him from his original top 5 projection down to a mid first rounder. Keeping Revis leaves the Jets in a better place than any likely trade scenario.
Jan 26, 2013; Mobile, AL, USA; Senior Bowl south squad defensive lineman Ezekial Ansah of Brigham Young (47) against the Senior Bowl north squad during the first half of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
TRADE HIM!
The only likely trade scenario that may be worth the Jets time would be to give Revis to Philadelphia for their 1st round this year plus another pick (either this year or a future pick). The front office would also NEED to make it a priority to cover all bases THIS OFF-SEASON in regards to rebuilding, if they were to let their defensive centerpiece go. A top 5 pick and the extra $14M in cap space could give the Jets some breathing room in resigning LaRon Landry to a longer term deal. Landry, Wilson and Cromartie would be a good enough secondary for next year. In this situation, I’d still like the Jets to then make a move for Donald Thomas to help their offensive line situation so that it can be manageable with a good draft.
With 2 top 10 picks in this draft the Jets would be sitting pretty for their re-tooling year. They can go after Ziggy Ansah, a fresh mold-able player that could fill the Jet’s large void at outside linebacker. A lot of people are drawing comparisons to Jason Pierre Paul as both were freakishly athletic but not too experienced in the game. His lack of experience, can be more of a plus than a knock for a player trying to learn a new system. Learning a complicated pro system may be easier to a player who won’t confuse anything with the system he was used to playing in college for 4 years. Then, the Jets can use their #9 pick on an athletic movable Tackle like Oklahoma’s Lane Johnson or can even trade down to the bottom of the first and pick up Eddie Lacy. Now the Jets would have another pick in the 2nd round as well as two more needs to address. One being offensive line, which can go a flexible player like to Tennessee stand out G/T Dallas Thomas at the top of the 2nd and WR which should still have a few more promising players by the mid-low 2nd round like Louisiana Tech’s Quinton Patton.