Despite the NBA starting its second day of playoff basketball, the NFL stole the news cycle when a trade happened, sending Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, from the New York Jets. The trade had been rumored for the better part of a month now, and the two teams finally pulled the trigger just four days before the start of the 2013 NFL Draft.
The Miami Dolphins were not participants of the trade, but with Revis leaving the AFC East, sophomore quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, should be feeling like his team just scored a major win. No longer does the young quarterback have to worry about playing Revis twice a year, and while the rest of the NFL is full of talented corners, there is something special about the former Jet.
Last season, Revis tore his ACL against the Dolphins in Week 2. Prior to his injury, he was considered the very best in the game at his position.
Over his last three healthy years, Pro Football Focus has Revis averaged out at a +23.6, the best average of any defensive back in the NFL over that same period. His ability to shadow a receiver, read routes and make plays on the ball made it possible for Rex Ryan and the Jets to leave Revis alone on one side of the field while using the rest of the defense to create mismatches and create pressure against opposing offenses.
People called this “Revis Island.” No receiver likes to be on Revis Island. Not one.
Tannehill has only had to contend with Revis for a portion of one game, but if there was ever any doubt, back-up quarterback Matt Moore can tell him how luck he is. In a Week 6 loss on Monday Night Football, Revis intercepted Moore twice, one for a 100-yard pick-six. The Dolphins were embarrassed 24-6 in front of a national audience and fell to 0-6 on the season. It was not a pretty picture.
Because of the ACL injury, there is no way to know if Revis is still the type of player that can be left alone, allowing defensive coordinators to attack in such unique ways. Not every player is able to make a miraculous recovery like we witnessed from the 2012 NFL MVP Adrian Peterson. His recovery is said to be ahead of schedule and was coming along well enough for the Buccaneers to spend a high first-round draft pick for him.
This is encouraging for Revis fans, and the word is, he expects to play in the Bucs’ season opener against the Jets.
Tannehill will still have his work cut out for him with guys like Antonio Cromartie, Jarius Byrd and Aqib Talib still in the AFC East, but he should still be grateful this deal got done. If he listens to Moore’s horror stories and still has doubts about how scary Revis can be, Revis will certainly be sure to show the young quarterback himself when the Dolphins visit the Buccaneers in Week 10 … on Monday Night Football.
Jeff Everette is a Miami Dolphins writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @jeverettesports, “Like” his page on FaceBook, or add him to your network on Google+.
