Trade Revis? Get Out of Here!

PSL's would be the least of Woody's worries if a Revis Trade happens.

Life as a New York Jets fan has been painful, to say the least, these last few months. After getting off to a great start in Buffalo during Week 1, the Jets began to crumble, eventually leading to a 6-10 season, multiple coaching staff firings, and a new GM. If all that was not enough, there is yet another thing to add to the pile -- Darrelle Revis trade rumors. 

It seems like Woody Johnson has finally pushed the panic button in regards to Revis. After a lengthy holdout during the summer of 2010, there is a fear that Revis could be lost in free agency in 2014. Woody Johnson has made it clear that the Jets will be exploring Revis' trade market, but I think this a mistake. 

Rarely does a player of Revis' caliber fall into your lap. After being drafted as the 14th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, it seems that Revis could be considered a steal based on his play on the field. Had teams known the defensive menace that Revis would eventually become, he would have gone in the top 10 easily. He is by far the most dominant player at his position or of any position in the NFL. There is nobody else that plays there position with such perfection and authority. Many would argue for Peyton Manning or Tom Brady for that title, but answer me this...when was the last time Revis gave up a touchdown pass? When was the last time Revis gave up a 50-yard pass? When was the last time Revis missed a tackle? He is the epitome of dominance in the NFL. 

This upcoming year is a HUGE year for the New York Jets. After two lackluster seasons, which displayed a team playing even worse than their record suggests, the Jets are in need of an upward push. They need to show some sort of commitment to winning and to playing a good brand of football. Trading Revis will destroy any hope that Jets fans hold for the future. Though many recognize that this upcoming year is a rebuilding year of sorts, we cannot accept the trade of our best player. Though trading Revis would definitely yield at least a first round pick, it still would harm the team more than it would help. 

A huge argument that has been made around the media circuit is that, even without Revis, the Jets pass defense still ranked second in the NFL. What people seem to forget is how many other positions Revis effects when he is on the field. Being able to leave one side of the field completely in Revis' hands allows Rex to do so many creative things with the defense. It means that he can bring a safety into the box for run defense, or blitz a safety off the edge, or blitz a corner off the edge. The list is endless of things that a defense can do differently with Revis on the field. Unless you have a pass rusher on the level of Demarcus Ware, not having Revis in coverage simply dumbs down the defense and makes it much more vanilla. Though the pass defense did rank second, it still can't be overlooked that Kyle Wilson repeatedly got burned all over the field. 

The simple point remains that, as an organization, you cannot be afraid to pay your best players. If it means cutting another player to keep Revis, than that is what must be done. Revis is simply a priceless player right now and cannot be replaced in any defensive scheme. The Jets would be foolish to trade a future Hall of Famer, and potentially the greatest cover corner to ever play the game.