Seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis has found a new home nearly three quarters of the way through the season. The defensive back who spawned the “Revis Island” moniker is now a member of the Chiefs, the team announced Wednesday.
Darrelle Revis signs with Chiefs in an unexpected twist
The former Jet is looking for a fresh start after an awful 2016.
Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images
“We’re excited to add Darrelle to the roster,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “He has experience and familiarity with Bob Sutton’s defense, he’s a team guy and we feel like a player of his caliber can help our football team.”
Why did the Chiefs make this move? The Chiefs have been seeking a viable third cornerback. Phillip Gaines got beat by Giants wideout Roger Lewis last week that ended up being a game-deciding play in their Week 11 loss. But it wasn’t just Gaines — the Chiefs have tried Terrance Mitchell and Kenneth Acker, who also haven’t had results.
Marcus Peters and Steven Nelson have been fine for Andy Reid’s defense this year, but that third option has been picked on consistently. In terms of looking for a third corner, defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said via ESPN, “We as coaches are trying to evaluate that as close as we can [and] a lot goes into that. You’ve got to be dependable. You’ve got to be available. All those things that go into that.”
Apparently, Sutton and the Chiefs’ staff felt that third cornerback wasn’t on the roster, and now Revis will play in 2017 — and maybe 2018.
Is Revis still good? The four-time first team All-Pro hit a decline in his last full season, tallying just six interceptions in his two most recent seasons after a Super Bowl run with the Patriots.
The veteran’s struggles were particularly evident in 2016, when he only intercepted one pass and was exposed on several occasions. A.J. Green, in particular, humiliated him, catching 12 passes for 180 yards and a score in the first week of the 2016 season.
Revis is a surefire Hall of Famer, but the question of whether he still has gas left in the tank needs to be answered soon. In a Kansas City secondary that has already lost Eric Berry for the season, the Chiefs will hope to see some vintage Revis as the season goes along.
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