The wisdom of Tampa Bay’s trade for cornerback Darrelle Revis ultimately will be determined by the player’s performance in 2013 and beyond. His performance in 2013 hinges on the performance of his surgically-repaired knee.
The good news for Revis and the Bucs (and the bad news for everyone they play) is that Revis now has clearance to cut and change directions.
“I feel very confident,” Revis tells Andrea Kremer of NFL Network in the latest installment of Health of the Game: Project Revis. “If Todd tells me to cut, I am cutting. I am not trying to think about [it].”
Revis remains confident that he’ll return to the form that made him the best cornerback in the league.
“The first time I step out there, I’ll be fine,” Revis said.
Coach Greg Schiano hopes he’ll get Revis at 100 percent, but Schiano will settle for less.
“That’s how we’re planning. I mean, we have faith that he’s going to recover,” Schiano said. “If it isn’t exactly that way right away, then we’ll adapt. Eighty-five or 90 percent of Darrelle Revis is still better than most 100 percent other corners, right?”
He’s right. But the 13th overall pick in the 2013 draft and a third-round pick (unless Revis is cut before next March) in 2014 will be hard to justify if he’s many percentage points below the maximum.