Jets trade rumors: New York should deal Revis for Stafford

It is time for the New York Jets to rebuild. Again.  So let the Jets trade rumors begin.

Now that Tannenbaum is out of the door we can begin to hope poor-personnel decisions left with him. The Jets have a lot of holes to fill and cannot rely on the 2013 NFL draft to fix them. The QB position has proved to be the most important position of 2012 and is at the top of the must-fix list for Gang Green.

If Mark Sanchez wasn’t guaranteed $8.25 million in salary next season, the team would be expected to move on from the Sanchize. So if we are stuck with Sanchez for another year lets hope to see him on the bench.

There are limited options on the trade or free-agent market. The top two QB’s who may be made available, Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers and Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles, are now both backups and looking for a job.
Injury and interception prone Vick would be a disaster on the Jets, while Alex Smith will likely have a few other offers on the table.

The Jets need to strategize and must begin to look at trading possibilities. They need to look at their own personnel and see what they have to offer. Darelle Revis is the No. 1 trading weapon the Jets have, and the Detroit Lions are desperate for help in the secondary.

Wait, Detroit? Yes. Detroit.

Stafford is expensive – but the Jets have proven to spend (and waste) money on Quarterbacks. With Stafford having a cap number in excess of $20 million for 2013, the Lions brain trust might consider letting the QB go in order to rebuild their team. Here are 5 Reasons the Jets should offer Revis up for Stafford:

1. Revis will holdout: Revis is scheduled to make only $3 million next season, and could stage his third holdout if the Jets don’t rework the deal before training camp. It will be a tough situation for the Jets, considering Sanchez’ is guaranteed over $8 Million. Unlike Sanchez, Revis has proved himself and deserves a higher salary. The Jets have stated publicly they hope to keep Revis for his entire career, but his contract demands coupled with the value he adds to the team could prompt the team to consider trade options.

2. Detroit need Revis: The Lions were absolutely terrible defending the pass this year, forcing only 11 interceptions. Detroit’s secondary finished the season ranked 24th  - while the Revis-less Jets finished 9th. With Revis, the Jets ranked  1st vs. #1 WR in 2011. Although Antonio Cromartie starred in he absence of Revis, it is impossible to forget the star CB’s value in the backfield. He is the pass defense and the #1 person QB’s and WR’s avoid.

The Lions Secondary need a star Cornerback. As it stands for Detroit, Chris Houston is a free agent – and Drayton Florence is 32. They will have to use one of their top draft picks or opt to resign one or both of their CB’s. Either way they will need to change things up if they want to be successful 2013.

3. The Jets need a change in the pocket: The Jets will be seriously rebuilding for the next few years and cannot afford to make another stupid decision (such as signing Tebow and losing draft picks, extending Sanchez’s contract before he proves himself, etc). If Stafford was to join the Jets, Rex could not even think of starting Sanchez…which should leave Sanchez on the bench for the season, where he belongs.

Gang Green needs a QB with experience and talent. With the 9th round draft pick, the Jets cannot waste their first pick on a sub-par Rookie. They need someone who can perform. Stafford has had an inconsistent 4 years but has put up respectable numbers in his tenure on the Lions.

4. The Lions are in the right place to pick up a Rookie: Detroit’s tough season landed them the 5th pick in the draft. If the 2013 QB’s are of the same caliber as RG3, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson, drafting a star rookie would be just what Detroit needs for a 2013 playoff push.

5. The Jets can count on Cromartie: Ever since Revis went down in Week 3, Cromartie has been among the best corners in the league. He accomplished this despite an unfavorable set of circumstances this year. Other than Cromartie, the Jets secondary (including No. 2 Cornerback Kyle Wilson, struggled throughout the season. The Jets pass rush was far less than ideal, which did not help the secondary overall. In spite of this, Cromartie remained consistent this year and will continue in the years following.

Jessica Daniels is an NFL writer for TPF and can be contacted at JDaniels@ThePenaltyFlagBlog.com.