Sources: Buccaneers management on board with potential trade for Jets CB Darrelle Revis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers management, all the way up to the Glazer family that owns the team, is fully on board with trading for New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday. That includes paying Revis what is considered an acceptable salary.
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.
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. The Buccaneers have already made a significant play in free agency to improve by signing safety Dashon Goldson to a reported five-year, $41.25 million deal.
As for why the Jets, who declined to comment, might be better off with a first-round pick next year, it's highly possible the team may have to make a change at quarterback and perhaps head coach after the 2013 season. More draft picks in 2014 might give the Jets the ammunition to make a trade, if necessary, for a higher pick depending on how many quarterbacks are available in the 2014 draft. For instance, Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville is projected by many analysts to be a first-round pick next year and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M could also declare for the draft.
The 2013 draft is not loaded with top-end quarterbacks. It's been speculated that Geno Smith could be the only first-round quarterback, though some observers believe no passers will go in the opening stanza. Beyond that, the Jets likely don't want to take a quarterback now if they are looking to hire a new coach who might want to pick his own quarterback.
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Either way, the Jets might have no choice but to make a deal. Jets owner Woody Johnson declined to discuss the Revis situation earlier this week, saying he would talk about it at the league meetings, which start Sunday in Phoenix.
As for Tampa Bay, the key to making this deal happen is that the family of owner Malcolm Glazer (sons Bryan and Joel Glazer are the co-chairmen of the Bucs) is interested in completing the trade.
Beyond Revis' playing ability, the cornerback's college coach at Pitt, Dave Wannstedt, is now on Tampa Bay's staff as the special teams coach and has spoken highly of Revis. In addition, the Bucs had a positive experience with high-priced free agent wide receiver Vincent Jackson last season. Jackson, who had two DUI incidents while playing in San Diego, signed a five-year, $55.55 million deal last season. Jackson, represented by the same agents as Revis, was productive last season (72 catches, 1,384 receiving yards, eight touchdowns) and was also a high-character individual for the organization.
Finally, the Bucs are not afraid to spend on high-end players. Aside from Jackson last season, guard Carl Nicks had a strong season after signing as a free agent. Also, one of the key additions to the Bucs prior to the team winning the Super Bowl in the 2002 season was wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
The Bucs had to give up two first-round picks and give Johnson an eight-year, $56 million contract extension (the highest ever for a wide receiver at the time). Johnson became one of the team's top offensive weapons on the way to the title.
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