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There is no way around it – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers really need Darrelle Revis.
Their cornerback play down the stretch last year cost them some games.
They traded Aqib Talib to New England, in season, for a fourth round pick (which could end up being included in a Revis’ trade).
Then they lost Eric Wright, late in the season, to a four-game suspension due to a failed drug test (Adderall).
So they were without the players who opened the season as the starting cornerbacks, late in the season.
And it turned into a coverage disaster.
And here is the thing, not only is Talib out of the picture, but it looks like Wright is on his way out.
Even though he just signed last year (five-years, $37.5 million), and his salary this year – $7.75 million is fully guaranteed, Tampa Bay is looking to get out of the contract.
And they filed a grievance to get out of this year’s guarantee, claiming it was voided due to his suspension. Not only are they trying to get out of that guarantee, they reportedly are looking to release him before their off-season program starts.
Wright and the Buc’s are headed for a divorce.
So they need two corners. The dream team they started last season with, turned into a nightmare.
They need corners bad, and Greg Schiano loves Revis.
It’s not just from his work in the NFL, but also when he faced him at Rutgers, when Revis was at Pitt.
Schiano was asked about the possibility of trading for Revis, and his non-answer speaks volumes.
“We’re trying to get better and anybody that can help us do that, they’re definitely on our radar,” Schiano said. “Everything’s a possibility.”
He is clearly interested in making this trade.
And I thought this tidbit from Yahoo’s Jason Cole was huge – the most revealing info on the Revis-Tampa Bay connection to date. He claims to have spoken to a Tampa Bay Buc’s official about the trade. What he was told might be tampering, but nonetheless, it was very revealing.
“The holdup, for now, is what the Jets are willing to accept in a trade. The Buccaneers don’t want to relinquish their first-round pick in next month’s NFL draft. Tampa Bay holds the No. 13 overall pick,” Cole wrote. “While the trade price for a star player was set this week with the Seattle Seahawks giving up first- and seventh-round picks this year and a third-round pick in 2014, the Bucs aren’t willing to match that deal exactly, a team source said. The big difference is that Seattle’s first-round pick this year was No. 25 overall, far less valuable than Tampa Bay’s first selection.
“The same Bucs source indicated Tampa Bay might be more willing to surrender its 2014 first-rounder, gambling that next year’s selection won’t be as high if the team improves.”
If a Buc’s official truly told him this, there is a great chance this trade is going to happen.
Some people will say Cole is full of it, and that he didn’t talk to a Buc’s official, but instead, he got this from agent Neil Schwartz (Cole and Schwartz are close). But I’m not going there. I will take Cole’s word for it, that he spoke to a Buc’s official, and if he did, this is truly remarkable reporting.
So now John Idzik just needs to make the Buc’s sweat, letting this linger perhaps all the way up to the draft, so Tampa Bay adds more to their current offer. THEY NEED REVIS!
The Jets public posture that they intend to keep Revis, helps their bargaining position.
While some people feel that this is just rhetoric, I’m telling you, if the Jets get low-balled in trade talks, they will keep Revis, who is under contract for this season.
But there is no doubt Tampa Bay is the leader in the clubhouse for Revis.
March 14, 2013
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