Rex Ryan talks about Darrelle Revis joining the Patriots
Revis' best days have been in a New York Jet uniform, and his boisterous coach had a large part in getting the corner some national attention, constantly calling him the "best cornerback in the game" to the media.
Unfortunately for Rex, the team and Revis parted on some bad terms. Revis wanted to stay in New York, but the Jets weren't all that interested in paying a cornerback big money. They shipped him off to Tampa Bay where he spent a year before being released when Lovie Smith and his Cover 2 system took over.
And now, he's a Patriot. So, that's gotta sting right? In a conference call with GM John Idzik today, Ryan spoke publicly for the first time on the Patriots' biggest signing.
ESPN:
"Quite honestly, when Darrelle went to New England, it was like, 'OK, that's it, he's now a Patriot,'" said Ryan, claiming he's happy with his current cast of corners. "From a coaching thing, this isn't fantasy football. There are a lot of factors that go into it."
Ryan was reportedly pushing hard for the Jets to re-sign Revis, but had no pull there apparently. To make matters worse, the team hosted Dominique-Rodgers Cromartie on a visit but lost him to the rival New York Giants. Their fall back option, Antonio Cromartie, whom they'd releasd a few weeks earlier, just signed with the Arizona Cardinals today.
So, not only have the Jets lost two cornerbacks that Ryan wanted to their biggest rivals, but they really have no one at the position right now.
Of course, Jets fans shouldn't be too concerned about that. It's clear that the Jets are taking a long-term approach with the goal of creating sustainable success. At least that's what Idzik had to say today.
It's a better strategy than the previous General Manager, Mike Tannenbaum. He went "All In" with signings like Santonio Holmes, Jason Taylor, etc. The Jets failed to cash in on the short window that provided them (losing in two straight AFC Championships) and the moves crippled them significantly in the long term.
So, while its a good strategy for the fans, it might not necessarily be too beneficial for coach Rex Ryan. Ryan has been on the hot seat for awhile, he gets his guys to play hard but there are no guarantees for his future with the Jets.
