NFL

Bucs’ Revis not yet cleared for practice, expects to be ready for opener vs. Jets : report

Darrelle Revis hasn’t been cleared to practice yet, but the Buccaneers cornerback thinks he’s still on track to return from his torn ACL in time for the team’s first game of the season against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 8.

The former Jets franchise defender has been running and cutting, still with over a month before the start of training camp.

“I’m confident,” Revis told the Tampa Bay Times following the Bucs’ OTA workout Tuesday. “I’m cutting. (Bucs trainer Todd Toriscelli) might tell me to slow down a little bit, but I’m going full tilt and I’m cutting because I’m feeling good.

“I think I’m getting comfortable now. I’m in the walk-throughs, I’m in the meeting. The defense is easy. I’m a veteran and some of the things we did in New York, coach Schiano does down here, too. I’m fine with that. I think the biggest thing is making sure I’m 100 percent when I step out there with the guys, my teammates, and we go out there and play some great football.”

After missing three games in his first five seasons, Revis played two games last year after suffering the injury on Sept. 23 against the Dolphins. The road to recovery has been hard, but it’s a path he hasn’t tried to rush down, knowing there’s no set timetable.

“I heard a million ACL stories from people around the league and non-football players,” said Revis, who was traded to Tampa by the Jets for this year’s 13th pick and a conditional pick next year.

“You hear them all. You hear the tragedies and everybody says it’s a pain, and it’s a long process. It’s usually six months to a year and some people recover faster and some people don’t. It takes time. That’s the goal is to be out there Week 1 and play. If there’s anything other than that, we’ll have to see when the time comes. But yeah, we’ve got to have the goal set and coach has the same goals, too, for me to be out there from Day One.”