The New England Patriots are officially Super Bowl champions, but they do not have a long time to celebrate the win with free agency beginning just around the corner. The Patriots have some key decisions to make regarding a few of their top players. One player that will likely take over the headlines is Darrelle Revis who joined the Patriots on a one-year contract and will be on the open market once again.
Revis has a $20 million option in his contract the Patriots are extremely unlikely to exercise. The cornerback is good, but that is simply too much money to take on as New England very rarely throws around that type of cash to players. As a result, Revis will have a large number of suitors calling his phone in free agency as ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills are already lining up as potential suitors.
Schefter writes that the Patriots would like to re-sign Revis, but cannot afford him at his current price. The cornerback will likely continue to command a large contract which means New England would have to make room for Revis. The Boston Globe reported earlier in the year that players like Danny Amendola and Aaron Dobson are currently being viewed as dead weight and could get released as a result. The Patriots still have to make upgrades at the running back position as LeGarrette Blount also needs a new deal. That could all play into whether or not Revis can come back.
Schefter writes that a return to the New York Jets could be a real possibility for Revis. The cornerback was traded after he refused to take a pay cut, but always maintained his love for the franchise. Owner Woody Johnson had tampering charges brought onto him in December after potentially illegally recruiting Revis to New York, so it is clear the interest is there in the cornerback. With Todd Bowles taking over as head coach, his defensive-minded scheme could fit well for Revis.
The Bills are a likely fit considering they just hired Rex Ryan has their new head coach. Ryan and Revis have had a lot of success with one another. The Head coach thrived under Ryan, reaching the Pro Bowl in four straight seasons from 2008 to 2011 with the Jets, earning the phrase "Revis Island."
The thing that will hurt the Bills and Jets is the fact that both teams are currently rebuilding after a stretch of bad seasons. Revis will turn 30 in July and likely wants to sign with a contending team to try and get to the Super Bowl once more before retirement. The idea that the Jets and Bills are headed in that direction is a little far-fetched at the moment which will factor into the decision.