On Wednesday, a judge dismissed all charges against Darrelle Revis stemming from an alleged assault in Pittsburgh last month. And despite a trying season in 2016, Revis claimed after the court hearing that he's still hungry to play.
But I don't want him to. I know this is not my decision, but I'm paid to provide an opinion. And that's how I feel.
Revis has nothing to prove. He played at such a level for most of his 10-year career that he established himself among the top five cornerbacks of all time.
Prior to Revis' massive drop-off in 2016, he was the league's premier corner. Over his first nine seasons -- which included the 2012 campaign that saw him suffer a season-ending injury in Week 2 -- he was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and a four-time first-team All-Pro. At his peak, Revis had impeccable patience at the line of scrimmage. He mastered bump-and-run coverage and was one of the best at disrupting the timing between quarterback and receiver. The 5-foot-11, 198-pound corner was (and still is) a good tackler, but his best attribute? Hands that were out of this world. His hand placement on receivers in press coverage was the best -- bar none -- and he could catch like a receiver.
2015 season in coverage: allowed 27 catches on 56 targets (48.2 completion percentage) for 370 yards and a 51.9 passer rating.
2016 season in coverage: allowed 51 catches on 79 targets (64.6 completion percentage) for 743 yards and a 102.5 passer rating.
Only Green Bay's Damarious Randall had a higher passer rating allowed (107.9) in 2016. And Revis' 64.6 catch rate was the highest of any of the league's CB1s last season -- 11 percent higher than the NFL average. To say he was far from what we typically see from him would be an understatement.
Yes, last season was undoubtedly the most jarring of Revis' professional career. Consequently, there's been discussion about what lies ahead for the 31-year-old veteran. Could he play safety? I don't think it would be a good move for him, but yes. And he wouldn't be the first cornerback to switch to safety late in his career, as many others have made a smooth transition, including Charles Woodson and Rod Woodson. Revis has the IQ and attributes -- as a strong tackler with good instincts -- to contribute on several teams at the safety position. But again, it won't be at a high level. And -- perhaps selfishly -- I don't want to look at Revis as a guy who played both. I see him as a pure cornerback. What he's done in his career is rare. He was a starter at cornerback from Day 1 through his 10th season, and the caliber at which he played is almost unmatched. (I mean, the guy had an "island" named after him.) And what does he have left to accomplish in this game? Revis owns a Super Bowl ring and, according to Spotrac.com, he's earned over $118 million in contracts over the course of his career.
From my point of view -- as a former cornerback who played in the NFL for 12 seasons -- I strongly think Revis should retire. And five years from now, the impact he made during his decade in the league will put him in Canton.
Follow Ike Taylor on Twitter _@IkeSwagginU_.
