Pro Football Focus will be providing analysis for every major NFL signing and trade during the 2015 free-agency period, accounting primarily for the quality of the player and his fit with his new team, and focusing less on the financial terms of the deal.
Here is a grade for the deal between Darrelle Revis and the New York Jets.
Link to grade articles on every major deal
New York Jets: A
Darrelle Revis' move back to New York represents the highest-graded signing so far as the Jets' drastic positional need matched up perfectly with PFF's top overall free agent. New York not only secured the far and away best free-agent cornerback, but it also pried away the division-rival Patriots' premier defensive player from a year ago.
The Jets' corner position has been a revolving door since Revis fled to Tampa Bay after the 2012 season, and with the stroke of a pen he turned it back into a position of strength.
Revis' decline after a 2012 ACL injury was vastly overblown. He still graded out as our top corner (plus-18.6) in 2013 even though he played almost exclusively right cornerback in a zone scheme that didn't play to his strengths. After moving back to a man-heavy scheme last year with the Patriots, his significance was obvious once again. In a more difficult role, following receivers at times and lining up all over the field (295 snaps in slot, 868 snaps out wide), he was PFF's fourth-highest graded corner (plus-17.7) and allowed a total of just 25 yards on three catches in the Patriots' three playoff games.
The only reason for pause is Revis' age. At 29 years old the corner will be out of his prime by the end of the five-year deal. However, his level of play is so high that a slight downturn in performance still puts him in the upper echelon at the position.