Sure, Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano at one point refused to mention the name of cornerback Darrelle Revis, for fear of crossing the league’s ever-amorphous tampering line. Other than that, the Bucs haven’t been bashful about their interest in one of the top defensive talents in the game.
It’s an open secret in league and media circles that the Bucs will pay Revis the deal he wants, worth $15 million or more. Some league insiders believe that the Buccaneers and agents Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod, who worked together to bring Vincent Jackson to Tampa last year, have worked out the parameters of the contract Revis would receive. Absent express permission from the Jets, that could amount to a clear case of tampering.
Then there’s the team’s website. As flagged by the folks at JoeBucsFan.com, the Buccaneers’ official online destination includes this headline on the right rail of the site: “Buccaneers still in for Darrelle Revis.” While the link leads to an NFL Network video, the presence of those words on the Bucs’ official website is a little jarring.
Of course, the Bucs can tamper all they want, as long as the Jets don’t plan to file tampering charges. The fact that the Jets haven’t cried foul underscores the idea that the Jets want to trade him -- and it highlights the reality that the Jets can’t afford to alienate the only team that wants Revis.