New England Patriots defensive back Darrelle Revis was the top cornerback in the NFL for years prior to Richard Sherman breaking out big time with the Seattle Seahawks back in 2012. He was paid like it too, earning top-tier cornerback money with the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now that Revis has signed a one-year contract with the Patriots, there are some out there who believe he has a lot to prove. The idea is that Revis, by taking the short-term deal, is banking on himself to prove to the rest of the NFL that he’s the same player that dominated in New Jersey for so many years. Former NFL cornerback Ty Law had this to say about Revis’ mentality heading into the 2014 season (via The Boston Globe).
He’s definitely out there with something to prove because of all the guys getting the big contracts, and he was down in Tampa Bay as a forgotten guy,” Law said. “He’s still thinking, ‘Wait a minute, I’m still top dog.’ And he wants to win, that’s the most important thing.
For his part, Revis doesn’t see it this way.
“No, I don’t feel like I have to prove nothing to anybody. The only thing I have to prove is to my teammates, that I’m there for them and I’m there to win games and help us win,” he said. “All that other stuff, it really don’t matter.
Despite playing in a scheme that didn’t seem to fit his talents in Tampa Bay last season, Revis was still one of the best cover guys in the league. In fact, his level of performance was just a notch below that of Richard Sherman in Seattle.
Even at 28 (will be 29 prior to the start of the regular year) and just a year removed from a serious injury, Revis still has a ton left in the tank. There is no reason to believe that he’s going to take a step back this upcoming year in New England. If the All-Pro cornerback does impress, he will be in line for a big payday come next spring. After all, he will then be two years removed from the injury and still on the right side of 30 when March rolls around.
Photo: Bleacher Report