Buccaneers Trade For Darrelle Revis

In the biggest news you're likely to hear today as a Falcons fan, the Buccaneers have swapped the Jets their first round pick and a conditional fourth rounder in 2014.

We'll break this down further down the line, of course, but on first blush this looks like a great deal for the Buccaneers. They had a next-to-useless secondary in 2012, one that gave them a worse pass defense than the Saints. By surrendering the 13th overall pick, they've gotten markedly better back there if Revis is healthy, especially since they also added Dashon Goldson.

I hate them, in other words.

Trade official: Darrelle Revis passed physical. Bucs send 1st in 2013 and conditional 4th in 2014 that could be 3rd to Jets. More on ESPNews

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 21, 2013

The Bucs immediately signed Revis to a six-year, $96 million deal that contains no guaranteed money. If Revis plays well and the Bucs keep him around, he'll chew up an enormous amount of cap space for a cornerback. If he's not healthy, they can cut ties with him. It's a smart deal, even if it indicates the team has legitimate concerns about his health. Did I mention I hate them?

I thought the Falcons might be in on Revis after cutting Tyson Clabo and freeing up cap space, but the contract terms and the compensation indicate the Buccaneers were always going to be in the driver's seat. The Jets didn't get quite as much as I thought I would for trading away one of the best cornerbacks in the game, but then, they're the Jets.

What does this mean for the NFC South? It elevates the Buccaneers to a contender for the NFC South crown in 2013, though I'm still not sold on their team from top-to-bottom. By upgrading their single biggest weakness, though, they have to be considered ahead of the Saints with their retooling defense and the Panthers with their lack of compelling upgrades this off-season. Life just got more interesting in this division, for sure.

For more, visit Bucs Nation. Your reaction to the news?