Darrelle Revis

A few weeks ago, the Internet was brimming with reports linking a possible trade between the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers that would bring all-world cornerback Darrelle Revis to Wisconsin.

But those reports simmered and eventually went away because of several things: First, it was reported that the Jets wanted two first round draft picks and a bunch more for Revis; Second, Revis’s contract would have to be renegotiated and it was reported that he would be asking for Aaron Rodgers-type money just to consider moving on; and lastly, Revis is coming off an ACL injury to his knee that he suffered in the third game last year.

But that was all until today.

Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press Gazette again broached the subject in a blog about the possibilities. While his piece’s bottom line was that the deal was intriguing, it was unlikely that any deal of the sort would happen.

While I tend to agree for all the reasons stated above, I wonder why Dougherty even brings it up … maybe a slow day at the Packers news desk today?

Maybe.

But you’ve still got to admit that the possibility is probably one of the sexier ideas out there. At 27, it seems like Revis probably has plenty left in the tank and that the offensive/defensive tandem of Aaron Rodgers and Revis on the same team brings back memories of Favre/White.

Ted Thompson, Packer GM
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

But to think that Packers GM Ted Thompson might even consider trading away a first-rounder for Revis is like asking for Santa to bring you the moon.

But one might also consider the past first round picks Thompson has made, it’s become a crap shoot. While Thompson hit the grand salami with the Clay Matthews/B.J. Raji draft of 2009, and considering that the A.J. Hawk pick back in 2006 was OK, you’ve also got to look at Justin Harrell in 2007, and Derek Sherrod and Nick Perry in 2011 and 2012.

Harrell was a bust, but the books are still out on Sherrod and Perry. No doubt, Perry will be back in 2013, but one has to wonder about whether Sherrod will ever play another down for the Packers.

What I’m saying here is that the Packers’ first round pick hasn’t been stellar and if Thompson were to offer the team’s 2013 pick to the Jets for an established player – big salary and injury baggage to go along with it – it still might be worth the risk. That is if the Packers could even afford to throw that much change at a player like Revis.

Nobody really knows how Ted Thompson thinks these days. Like a chameleon, he’s been changing his spots. He’s always been a draft and develop guy, but he has been known to dip successfully into free agency – Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett. Maybe Thompson moves Woodson, Hawk and Jermichael Finley to scrape together enough to bring in Revis – I’m just sayin’ for the fun of it.

Maybe Thompson feels the team is one impact player away from another Super Bowl championship and he decides to cash in all his chips for the man on the island. Maybe he doesn’t – like Dougherty, I have to stick with the tried and true Thompson. His conservative nature probably doesn’t allow him to bring himself to jump off that cliff.

But then again, it’s fun to speculate.

After all, it’s been a slow news day on Lombardiave.com’s Packers desk, too.

Tell us what you think … leave a comment below, click on over and Like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

Sept. 9, 2012; E. Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) makes the interception on Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson (13) at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/The Star-Ledger via USA TODAY Sports

Darrelle Revis has been the popular NFL player to take about with the possibility of him being traded this offseason being decently high.

The Packers have some talent at cornerback but there is no reason why the Packers can’t make another upgrade with a move for Revis.

Revis is the type of elite corner that you don’t get to have on your roster everyday and remember when Charles Woodson was an elite cornerback how the Packers went and won the Super Bowl?

Revis could be a great example for Sam Shields and Casey Hayward as a mentor for Green Bay’s great young cornerbacks. Revis is the type of elite cornerback that can allow the defense to become even better.

The Jets will look for a quality cornerback in return for Revis and Tramon Williams would be the perfect player to put in a Darrelle Revis deal. Williams would open up some cap space for Revis in the long term along with how Jeff Saturday and most likely Donald Driver are retiring.

Tramon Williams could also start immediately for the Jets and be a reliable performer which would interest New York.

Ted Thompson would have to package some picks in and a second round pick would have to be one of those picks. Thompson could throw a fifth and seventh round pick in with it and that could get Thompson the cornerback that would improve the defense while also still having enough picks to get some quality young talent.

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson must lead the charge for significant changes this offseason. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Editor’s note: This piece was written Friday, Jan. 25, prior to the information about the possible amount that New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis may demand as part of a new contract. While demands and reality are sometimes far apart, we’ll let you decide. This is just a heads up to you, the reader, as you consider the Packers’ 2013 personnel options.

Knowing Ted Thompson’s anal attitude when it comes to change, I understand that my hope the Green Bay Packers go all-in embracing change this offseason is delusional.

You see, you can call me crazy, but I’m not – really.

Aside from Aaron Rodgers and his corps of receivers, the Packers are in a world of hurt and they’ve got to do something about it. That something involves changes … big changes

Greg Jennings will be gone. Jeff Saturday is gone. Donald Driver is gone. A.J. Hawk should be gone and Charles Woodson could also be headed down the road. Throw in the fact that the Packers’ running game is in limbo, the defense was embarrassed badly in their last game of the year and they have no backup quarterback.

Yes, Houston, we have a serious problem.

Change is a-comin’ in Green Bay whether we like it or not and Ted Thompson has got to lead the charge, not shrink from it with his lame draft and develop philosophy. Yes, it works, but it takes time – like five years. This is the win-now National Football League and it requires that front office personnel utilize all the tools at their disposal – the draft, free agency, creative manipulation of the salary cap and trading. Thompson loves the Draft – check; Thompson uses free agency once in a blue moon – check; his manipulation of the salary cap has been non-existent – check; and his use of the trade outside the draft has been nil – check.

So, what’s the answer?

Well, first off, he can’t pay Charles Woodson $10 million per year, nor can he afford to continue to pay A.J. Hawk the big bucks, so he’s probably got to cut those guys loose which will free up some change. He can’t afford to pay Greg Jennings number-one receiver money, so there’s some more change. He’ll be dropping big chunks of change with the departures of Saturday and Driver.

Aug 26, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) defends against Carolina Panthers wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu (19) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Do the Packers use some of that money to go out and get a guy like Darrelle Revis? He was once thought to be the top player in all of football. His island was impenetrable, but he has only played in two games in the last year and is coming off knee surgery. He will command tens of millions to whatever team decides to take the chance on him.

I say why not? Could he become the John Hadl of Thompson’s reign? I doubt it. He is only 27 and has a few good years left in the tank should the Packers want to take that risk. However, they will really have to want him and to think that Thompson would pull the trigger is probably fantasy, but we’ve got to visit fantasyland every now and again and hope that TT joins us.

Remember when Ron Wolf traded for a guy name Brett Favre and we all said, “who?”

Does Thompson give up a first round draft choice for Revis like Wolf did with Favre? Will he sacrifice the pick that has given us Derek Sherrod and Nick Perry for someone like Revis.

It would be a change that gives us a potential shutdown defensive player that would make everyone around him that much better. It could be the player that brings about a defense that could make the difference between defeat in the second round of the playoffs to that team that finally gets over the hump like they did in 2010.

Yes, call me crazy. Call me delusional. But if this team is going to evolve into another championship team, changes have to be made. Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel called the Packers soft. I agree with him. TT needs to beef up the toughness and Revis could be the start.

Couple that move with his usual late draft magic, and Thompson could help this team cut away the dead wood and add new life and new direction.

The Packers have to make changes this year – significant changes. And it’s not crazy.

Brett Favre is gone. To the New York Jets. With the way ESPN was sucking the teet of this story, I just wanted Brett to get traded to end the madness. I remember pushing the Packers to trade Favre to the Jets in July. And I was right. With Favre in New York, Aaron Rodgers is officially the starting quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. I’m still going to wish Favre the best in New York and I’ll probably try to catch a few more Jets games than I would have. That being said, I am NOT becoming a Jets fan. I am NOT buying a Favre Jets jersey. Why not? Because I am a Packers fan. This whole controversy has divided the fans into Packers fans and Favre fans. The Favre fans wanted Brett in Green Bay and wanted him to start over Rodgers. Granted, some Packers fans wanted him to start. But these few did not use the “But he’s Brett Favre!” excuse to have him start. I think Rodgers can lead the team to a ten-win season. I can hear the Favre fans jumping on the Jets bandwagon.

This was an ugly affair, but nothing really comes that easy in the NFL. We all knew he would have somewhat of an “itch” to come back. I can safely say that I am glad he is gone and that the organization can move on.

Now that Favre is in New York, the Jets have all of a sudden gone from pretenders to contenders. But are they really going to be able to make the playoffs in the AFC? I’m going to say no. First off, the AFC is crowded with teams with playoff potential. In the AFC East with the Jets, there are the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are one of my sleeper teams for the 2008. They could definitely sneak into the playoffs in the wild-card. In the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns will duel for the division title and the AFC South has four teams that finished at or above .500 in 2007 and two wild-card teams in the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. As usual the Indianapolis Colts are in the driver’s seat for that division while I could definitely see the Houston Texans overtaking the Titans in the division. As for the AFC West, the San Diego Chargers seem to have it under wraps, but never count out the Denver Broncos. There are eleven teams (including the Jets) that I just counted that have the potential to make the playoffs. It’s crowded.

The supporting cast around Favre in New York is remarkably different from the cast in Green Bay.  The offensive line has young building blocks in D’Brickashaw Ferguson at left tackle and Nick Mangold at center.  Alan Faneca and Damien Woody could fall under the classification of old and overpaid, but it is safe to say that Favre is playing behind a solid offensive line.  In the backfield, Thomas Jones has not lived up to his potential in New York.  He has hit the 1,000-yard mark multiple times, but he has split a lot of time with Leon Washington.  Together they form a good combination, but neither of them have been able to match the support Favre got from Ryan Grant down the stretch last year.  The wide receivers in New York are average as well.  Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery are solid, but are totally different from the wide receivers Favre had in Green Bay.  Favre had speed in Green Bay.  Now he has to adjust to possession.  With the speed receivers, Favre did not need as much protection from the offensive line as Donald Driver and Greg Jennings could get off of the line fast.  Against a good bump-n-run defense that’s putting pressure on him, Favre could have some trouble.  Brad Smith does provide some speed, but fact is he is taking forever to develop into a wide receiver.  Favre also has long-time Packers teammate Bubba Franks in New York, but there is a reason that the Packers let Bubba go.  He’s aging and his production has declined.  He may be able to rejuvenate in New York along with Favre, but it is hard to tell.

On the defensive side of the ball, the it is quite possible that the Jets could like total fools this year.  The secondary is solid with Justin Miller, Darrelle Revis, and star safety Kerry Rhodes, while Eric Smith made four starts in 2007.  The linebacking corps could have some questions.  The Jets shipped Jonathan Vilma to the New Orleans Saints in the offseason, clearing the way for David Harris to take over in the middle.  Eric Barton is aging somewhat in the middle with Harris while Vernon Gholston will push Bryan Thomas on the outside.  The riskiest linebacker signing in the offseason was Calvin Pace, whom the Jets threw a lot of money at and who has had only one good season which happened to be 2007.  In the defensive line, the Jets acquired Kris Jenkins from the Carolina Panthers.  With this, the Jets put a 4-3 DT in the nose tackle position of a 3-4 defense.  Hmm.  Eric Mangini could know something.  The defensive ends are nothing stellar as well.  Fact is, it’s hard to tell if these signings are going to pay off for the Jets.

Everyone seems to have guaranteed the Jets a playoff spot.  They seem to forget, however, that they could be stuck with the 2005 and 2006 version of Brett Favre, which was absolutely awful.  Was 2007 a fluke?

I really want to wish the best of luck to Favre.  So there.

Good luck, Brett.  You’ll always be a Packer.