The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally completed the long awaited move of trading for star cornerback Darrelle Revis from the New York Jets and after giving up their first round pick at number 13 overall, the teams draft plans are sure to change drastically with the event starting Thursday.
According to ESPN.com, the Buccaneers and Jets completed the trade over the weekend after working out details on both sides and having Revis take a physical to see how his recovery from his ACL injury has progressed. The report says that Revis will be the highest paid defensive back in the league and the second highest paid defensive player behind Mario Williams, but he will not be receiving any guaranteed money on his six-year, $96 million contract.
The Jets received the first round pick of the Buccaneers along with a conditional fourth round pick that could improve to a third rounder if Revis remains on the roster after the start of the 2014 league year. The Buccaneers are introducing Revis on Monday and now the Jets will move forward with an extra first round draft pick, giving them two selections in the top 13, more than any other team. Revis is considered to be the best cornerback in the league and he has made the Pro Bowl four times since coming into the league six seasons ago.
The Buccaneers had Revis fly in for a physical before the deal was completed and despite not having any guaranteed money, Revis will now have the contract he desired from the Jets. After the 2013 is over Revis will no longer count against the salary cap and will give the team a chance to drastically improve the roster. Revis joins a secondary that also includes Dashon Goldson, who the Bucs signed away from the San Francisco 49ers during free agency. Over the past two seasons the Buccaneers have been spending money left and right, including with contracts to Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks, Goldson and Eric Wright. Revis has been dealing with contract issues with the Jets since he was drafted and now will move on to the next stage in his career.
Without their top draft pick, the Buccaneers now have seven total draft picks after the first round and even without getting Revis, the team likely wouldn't have gone after a cornerback at 13 anyway, although names like Desmond Trufant and Xavier Rhodes have been moving up some draft boards as Thursday approaches. Most experts had the team picking Star Lotuleli and Bjoern Werner, but now the team will have to wait until the 43rd overall pick and the 11th pick of the second round for their first selection. Some deep options include tight end Tyler Eifert if he slips past the first round, as well as Tavon Austin or one of the other wide receivers like Robert Woods.
The Bucs likely had no chance at Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner at 13 anyway, since he is considered a top five pick, but they drastically needed to improve their secondary after ranking last in the league in passing yards allowed per game and did that with the trade for Revis and the signing of Goldson. The team allowed nearly 300 yards in the air per game after a down season from Eric Wright and after bringing him back on a cheap deal, the team could go after one of the lower-rated cornerbacks in the later rounds while trying to draft the best player they can get in the second round.
