The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have given up a lot in order to trade for Darrelle Revis during the 2013 offseason, but the team appears less committed to his future by the day. Sure the cornerback returned from a torn ACL and still played like the shutdown cornerback he is known for being, but a big salary cap has the team looking to possibly break away from Revis Island.
Several NFL insiders from both ESPN.com and the NFL Network have reported the Buccaneers are seriously considering shopping Revis to the highest bidder. New head coach Lovie Smith runs a defense that is not tailored towards Revis' strengths and while everyone denies that is a huge issue, it certainly will be a factor in the cornerback's future. There is not a single person in place in Tampa Bay that chose Revis. General manager Mark Dominik and head coach Greg Schiano are gone and not too many people appear to be in Revis' corner.
The cornerback comes with a big salary cap hit. His $16 million salary for 2014 is $6 million more than any other will get paid in the coming year. For a team that is rebuilding on both sides of the ball, that money is severely needed. One player being a significant salary cap hit is not ideal when Tampa Bay needs a quarterback, offensive lineman and a pass rusher.
Tampa Bay will make a decision on Revis quickly. If the cornerback is still on the roster come March 14, the Buccaneers will owe Revis a $1.5 million roster bonus. He will not be a cap hit if the team releases him or trades him before that date. So who would take on the cornerback should he be sent packing.
The New England Patriots are the first team to pop up on the radar. Right now, the Patriots are dealing with uncertainly surrounding cornerback Aqib Talib. He is obviously looking to get paid after putting up a few highlights last season. The only issue is that the Patriots will not pay Revis what he wants and with plenty of offensive needs in free agency, they will not take on a six-year contract.
The Atlanta Falcons could be in play for a deal. The team has released Asante Samuel and will let go of Thomas DeCoud leaving the secondary with holes. They had interest when the New York Jets were shopping him last season, but how much are the Falcons will to give up for one player when they have huge needs on the offense and defensive lines.
If Tampa Bay is ready to part with Revis after the one season like many report, they will want to trade him over a simple release. The team gave up a lot for him and would appreciate something in return. The issue is that his contract hurts negotiations and will make any move difficult.
