The Darrelle Revis trade talks have been in a holding pattern while the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the cornerback engage in a good, old-fashioned Mexican standoff. No one wants to be the first to shoot in fear of losing leverage.
The Tampa Tribune suggests the Revis talks will be rekindled closer to the draft, perhaps even when the Buccaneers are on the clock.
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The Bucs are reluctant to part with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, in large part because they don't know yet if a player high on their board will fall to that spot.
That pick begins to lose value if the Bucs don't like their options at No. 13 or find themselves unable to trade down a few spots for Florida State's Xavier Rhodes or Washington's Desmond Trufant.
It might appear that Jets general manager John Idzik has the leverage to hold out for that pick because the Bucs failed to address the position in free agency and the management group has reportedly been taken with the notion of acquiring Revis.
The notion of Idzik carrying the upper hand strains credulity, though. SI.com's Peter King is hearing that Jets owner Woody Johnson categorically is against extending Revis at close to $15 million per season.
If King is privy to this information, it surely hasn't escaped the notice of the Bucs' front office. In other words, Idzik can carry Revis on a team going nowhere and gain a third-round compensatory pick next offseason. Or he can deal Revis to Tampa for a 2014 first-round pick to go with an additional second- or third-rounder.
Why would the Bucs overpay when Idzik so clearly is backed into a corner without the option of the franchise tag in 2014?
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.