Darrelle Revis trade: Jets, Buccaneers agree to deal

A number of Jets fans who did not write best selling novels agreed with Martin. The milkshake reference, from There Will Be Blood, makes this pretty much the best hot sports blog take on the Revis deal that you’re going to read.

Martins doesn’t stop by condemning the deal. He has some advice for the Jets.

Overall, the deal looks like a win-win for both sides. As far as what they’re getting on the field it should be if Revis plays like he did before his ACL injury in 2012. The Jets unload a player they weren’t going to be able to re-sign and accumulate some draft picks that could net at least one immediate starter and the Bucs add a corner to their defense, which was desperately needed.

But on the financial side of the deal, there appears to be one big winner.

There’s a catch, however. Revis’ new contract does not include any guaranteed money, an unusual move for a player of Revis’ talent level. It’s a smart move for the Bucs, though, as they won’t be on the hook for anything if Revis is hit by injuries again. He’s currently rehabbing from a torn ACL.

Details of the contract are now emerging -- Revis will earn $16 million per year; $13 million of that is the base salary, with the rest coming in roster and workout bonuses.

In a deal that was months in the making, Revis was dealt to Tampa with New York receiving the Buccaneers’ first round pick this year, 13th overall, and more. Full details of the trade and Revis’ deal with the Buccaneers are not yet known. Adam Schefter reported that the deal with Revis was for six years and $96 million. It makes him the highest paid defensive back in NFL history. It also includes one very team-friendly aspect to it.

No guaranteed money is pretty unusual for a player of Revis’ stature. It gives Tampa plenty of protection should his recent injuries come back to haunt him.

Cole reports that terms of the deal are still being hammered out. The Jets have been asking a high price for Revis throughout the offseason--too high for some--which likely includes the Bucs’ first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft at No. 13 overall.

The trade would come just before the start of the NFL Draft on Thursday. The Jets are reportedly looking to stockpile picks, and this deal would certainly help them do that. The Jets are also looking to trade out of the No. 9 overall spot.

The Jets have made Revis available virtually the entire offseason, with the Bucs emerging as the likely favorite for the star cornerback. Rumors have circulated that the Jets’ asking price for Revis has been too high, and that has led to talks with Tampa Bay starting and stalling several times during the offseason. With the 2013 NFL Draft just a few days away, it seems a trade talked about for months might finally materialize.

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Teams may be enticed to move into the top ten for West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith. Of the teams picking below the Jets, none seem to be in desperate need of a quarterback, however. The Jets’ best bet may be an earlier-than-expected run on defensive tackles or pass rushers causing a team to make a panic move. The strong depth of front seven defenders in this year’s draft will make such a trade difficult, however.

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There’s no offseason in the National Football League, and next week’s NFL Draft tends to be one of the busiest parts of the year.

There have been plenty of trade rumors swirling in the past few hours. Could a couple of big name players be on the move before draft day?

The Jets are reportedly asking for the No. 13 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft as well as additional picks in the third and fifth rounds. Reports have varied on whether Tampa Bay is willing to trade the 13th pick, but according to Stroud, the Bucs would trade their first-round pick and an additional pick.

Tampa Bay has long been considered the frontrunner to land Revis, and the lack of interest from other teams could be one reason the Bucs are unwilling to increase their offer. The Bucs believe they are the only team with the cap space and a big enough need at cornerback to be willing to pay the high price for the Pro Bowl cornerback, according to Stroud.

Revis, a former first-round pick out of Pittsburgh in 2007, only played in two games last year before tearing his ACL and being lost for the remainder of the regular season. That was the first serious injury sustained by the All-Pro during his six-year career.

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By reporting to offseason workouts, Revis is eligible to collect roster bonuses worth up to $3 million. In order to collect all $3 million, Revis must participate in 80 percent of offseason workouts, according to Jason La Canfora.

Tampa Bay holds the No. 13 overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, and the Jets reportedly want the Buccaneers’ first-round pick in any Revis trade.

The benefits of trading Sanchez are obvious for the Jets, as the 2009 first-round pick is one of the highest paid players on the team, despite finishing the 2012 season with an abysmal 66.9 passer rating. Florio wrote:

As noted by Florio, the question really isn’t whether or not the Jets would like to make the trade, but whether or not it’s a move that makes sense for the Buccaneers. At first glance it wouldn’t be at all, as Tampa Bay would be on the hook for the final four seasons left on the large contract extension of a quarterback, who certainly hasn’t played well enough to justify it.

Here’s a video from the NFL Network documenting Revis’s journey back following knee surgery. Revis will reportedly spend two weeks in New York working out with the team and continuing his rehabilitation process.

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Reports of the Bucs looking to acquire Revis first leaked over a month ago. The two sides continue to go back and fourth over terms, but nothing has been settled over a lengthy time frame. It’s easy to see why Tampa Bay is getting tired on the whole situation.

Cole also notes the Bucs are willing to trade a first, third, and sixth-round pick for Revis, along with handing him a $15-16 million contract once he arrives. If that’s the case, what is causing Jets general manager John Idzik to hold off on making the deal?

Revis is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2013 season and cannot be given the franchise tag as part of his contract. The Jets haven’t shown much urgency in signing him to a long term deal, which is why the trade rumors have been flying around.

The star cornerback is expected to show up at the Jets’ facilities, though, despite his desire to continue his rehab in Arizona. That’s the clause he agreed to when he restructured his contract, and he won’t just leave $3 million on the table.

Revis has been the subject of more trade rumors than anyone else this NFL offseason due to his exorbitant contract. The Jets are going to take a major hit to the salary cap either way with a trade this year, but it’s really about getting out of any future obligations to Revis as well as landing significant future assets for his services. The Buccaneers have reportedly offered major picks in 2014, but no deal has been made. And Rex says that’s not happening at all:

Yet Ryan might have a point. Despite the fact that most NFL analysts believe Revis is good as gone, the Jets did already pay Revis a $1 million roster bonus on March 16 when they could have dealt him before that and saved a bit of change for owner Woody Johnson. Perhaps there’s a chance the team will keep him despite the rumors that say otherwise.

Revis’s contract is set to expire after the 2013 season, and he is coming off of reconstructive knee surgery. Revis was one of the league’s top cornerbacks prior to his knee injury, but it remains to be seen how effective he will be going forward.

If the Jets are looking for a long-term solution at quarterback, they could be well-served taking Tampa Bay’s 2014 first-round pick, since the 2014 quarterback draft class appears to be stronger than the 2013 draft class, as King points out.

The Pro Bowl cornerback is being shopped around by the Jets and it seems every day a new team interested in acquiring Revis pops into the conversation. On Wednesday, it’s the Falcons, who could use another cornerback in the secondary, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

The Falcons also need to make sure they have the money for Revis long term. Any team that tries to acquire Revis knows that this is the last year of his deal. If said team doesn’t give him a contract extension, then they are giving up a lot compensation (multiple early draft picks?) for just one year of service. Revis is rumored to want a contract that will give him $12 million to $16 million annually.

New York, which has publicly said it wants to keep Revis but also has done nothing to stop any rumors that he is available for the right price - a kings ransom - has no timetable on figuring out where to go from here, according to the New York Times.

New general manager John Idzik is in a tough spot. Revis wants a new contract, feeling he is woefully underpaid. Considering his track record, Revis is correct. The corner is scheduled to make $6 million this season, a far cry from the $15 or so he’s probably worth.

Adam Schefter, you’re up:

OK. 49ers are out (though, supposedly in the hunt just yesterday). That leaves 30 more teams that could acquire Revis. We have a start.

It is worth mentioning that Sanders won a Super Bowl in 1995 as well.

This shows that the mercenary cornerback can be an effective offseason move. Whether or not the 49ers can financially wrangle such a deal is another thing. It will be up to their chief contract negotiator Paraag Marathe and general manager Trent Baalke to lock a deal down.

Whether or not the Jets were simply too busy to meet with Revis, they evidently were not too busy for many other players on the team, according to Mehta. The reporter notes that the team “met with representatives of Santonio Holmes, Dustin Keller, Jeff Cumberland, Austin Howard, Shonn Greene and LaRon Landry during the week, but elected not to talk to Revis’ agents.”

Revis played in just two games during the 2012 season before a torn ACL ended his season and sent him to injured reserve. In his absence, the Jets defense finished eighth in the league and allowed the second-fewest passing yardage; however, the offense struggled and the team finished 6-10.

Maybe everyone has been talking about trading the wrong corner.

Cromartie was one of the Jets’ brightest stars in 2012 (for what that’s worth) and could command at a draft pick or two. While he would never bring in the haul that Revis would, Cromartie could still require some value while clearing $9 million off the books.