Despite the hovering storyline of a possible trade during the offseason, New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis continued rehabilitating after undergoing knee surgery for an ACL injury last year. Recent reports suggested last week that Revis was "ahead of schedule", recently cleared to run "without restriction". Movement for a possible trade remained on hold. A Peter King report suggested that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were willing to surrender a first, third and fifth (though which years those picks would apply was unknown). Two days later a Tampa Bay Times report called the price "too high" for Revis.
Then movement picked up. On Sunday ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that the Jets have given permission Darrelle Revis permission to visit with the Buccaneers to undergo a physical. A process that suggests a trade has been agreed, waiting on the details for the trade to go through.
Breakthrough: Jets have granted permission for CB Darrelle Revis to visit Tampa Bay and undergo a physical with the Buccaneers, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2013
Permission for Darrelle Revis to undergo Bucs physical never would have been granted if NYJ and TB couldn't work out trade. So there's that.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2013
Many reports suggest that the trade is happening, though primarily though speculation that the physical is a precursor to an agreement that's principally in place.
For Bengals fans there's only one thing to worry about. Cincinnati has lost four straight against the New York Jets and during the Bengals three most recent losses, Revis has held Bengals quarterbacks to a passer rating of 21.6, allowing only six of 16 passes to find receivers. Cincinnati is scheduled to play the Jets on October 27 this season, ideally without Revis -- though save for a preseason game, we'd like to see how A.J. Green does against the league's self-proclaimed best cornerback.
The proposed trade is expected to concluded prior to Tampa Bay's first round selection.