When Lovie Smith was announced as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there were some who wondered what the arrival of a coach who likes to run Cover 2 would mean for cornerback Darrelle Revis, who has long preferred to be in a scheme asking him to play man coverage.
Revis said last week that he was excited about a future with Smith at the helm and Smith sounded like he felt the same way during his introductory press conference on Monday. Smith said, via WDAE, “there are reasons” why Revis is one of the best cornerbacks in football and that there would be “a place for a great cover corner” on a Buccaneers defense that won’t be running Cover 2 on every play.
We’ll see how things ultimately play out, especially with a $16 million salary waiting for Revis in 2014, but good coaches can find ways to make room for talented players who might not be exact fits for their a particular scheme.
As for who will help him execute his schemes, Smith said he’s been looking for an opportunity to work with defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier for a long time. The rest of the staff will be filled out in due time, but won’t include Rod Marinelli. Smith called his longtime associate “like a brother,” but said the Bucs won’t be asking the Cowboys for permission to speak to Marinelli about an opening on the staff.
