Dallas Cowboys: Darrelle Revis A Fit At Cornerback?

Dallas Cowboys: Darrelle Revis A Fit At Cornerback?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:04 a.m. ET

The Dallas Cowboys have a depleted secondary and veteran cornerback Darrelle Revis needs a home; are the two a fit for one another?

Could the Dallas Cowboys be in the market for a veteran cornerback with a big name like Darrelle Revis? At this point in his career Revis won't be hosting any island tours. The 31-year-old Revis has visibly lost a step as he wasn't the same guy for the New York Jets in 2016 as he was in 2015 when he made his seventh-career Pro Bowl.

On top of him losing a step, Revis then found himself in some hot water this offseason when he was charged with four felonies according to Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk:

Revis has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of robbery and one count of conspiracy, per multiple reports. He's also been charged with making terroristic threats, a misdemeanor.

That arrest preceded his release from the Jets, although he was since cleared in the incident according to Kimberley A. Martin of NewsDay.com:

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A Pennsylvania judge cleared Darrelle Revis of all charges in connection with a street fight last month in Pittsburgh that resulted in his arrest.

With the Jets replacing Revis with departed Dallas Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne, the question about whether or not Dallas should look to Revis gets raised. Of course, Revis isn't a long-term solution given his age, but he could be a one-year rental that buys Dallas time as they try and get themselves some fresh talent at a spot which has been trouble for them the past several seasons.

Is Revis a fit?

The biggest question isn't Revis' age though, but rather if he fits in Dallas. The answer is yes. Dallas plays a zone system that relies on their safeties to patrol deep, so the lost speed by Revis won't be a huge factor. Their top corner the past few seasons has been Brandon Carr—who also left via free agency—and he has never been light on his feet. What Carr was able to do is win with his smarts and make sound tackles in space. Revis is more than capable in both those areas.

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    It would also be a fit for the player. In Dallas, Revis would see a spotlight just as big as he ever saw in New York or New England—two teams he has played for in the past. He would be able to rehabilitate his name, similar to what he did with the Patriots in 2014 after a subpar season in 2013 with the Tampa Bay Bucs.

    Revis would be the most accomplished corner in Dallas and his knack for creating turnovers would be a huge plus for a team that struggles mightily in that department.

    Can they afford him?

    The next question comes down to price. Dallas is not in a great situation cap-wise but they have a history of making moves for players in spite of being close to the limit. Before the 2015 season they were similarly strapped, but found a way to pay defensive end Greg Hardy a contract worth more than $11 million. That offseason, they were desperate for pass rushers, just as they are desperate for corners now.

    Making such a move even more likely is the fact that the Jets still have to pay Revis as well. According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, the Jets owe Revis more money than they do his replacement, Morris Claiborne:

    The Jets owe Revis a $6 million guarantee for 2017, per the contract he signed in 2015. They could get a discount because of offset language in the deal, meaning their portion will be lowered by the amount he receives in 2017 from his next team.

    With the market quiet for Revis Dallas could try to play it smart and see if they can find some sort of incentive-laden deal that keeps Revis making his $6 million through some combination of money from them as well as the Jets.

    Of course, the powers that be for the Cowboys seem to be done making moves this offseason, but it isn't every day a player the level of Revis comes available at a position of great need. It's even less likely that player comes on the heels of some bad press, which could significantly lower his asking price.

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