New England Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis has a team option for next season and if the Pats decline that, he will be a free agent target for numerous teams, including the NY Jets, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and anyone else in need of a cornerback, as he now is a Super Bowl champion after winning over the Seahawks.
The Jets have always been considered an option for Revis and after Woody Johnson made some comments earlier this season, ESPN and other outlets picked up on it. Adam Schefter at ESPN.com reports that Revis will be a target for the New York Jets as well as the Buffalo Bills, where he could reunite with former head coach Rex Ryan. Revis has enjoyed his time in New England, but the team may not want to pay him $20 million and could try and sign him to a new deal.
Revis had another strong season last year for the Patriots and that came after a Pro Bowl appearance with the Buccaneers following his trade from the Jets. Revis was released by the Bucs in a cap saving move and he was happy to move to New England, where he was used as a shutdown corner again. Revis came back from ACL surgery and has looked very good since then and he has been able to continue as one of the top cornerbacks in the league.
Earlier this season the Pats asked for some tampering charges after comments from Woody Johnson about Revis and now the Jets are considered a target for him this offseason. The Patriots will be interested in keeping Revis, but they likely want to work out a new deal since he has a high cap number. Revis is going to be 30 next season and he comes in after making two picks this season and he previously was a Pro Bowl player for four straight seasons under Rex Ryan.
Some have speculated that he could rejoin Ryan in Buffalo, while teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins and anyone else with DB issues could target him. The Bills defense was already very good last season and adding Revis would make them even more elite. The team ranked third in the league in passing yards allowed per game, while the Jets were 14th. The Jets have a ton of cap space and that makes them an interesting option for Revis.
The Denver Broncos just added Aqib Talib last offseason, so they likely will not be in the market for Revis, while the San Francisco 49ers also could be an option. The Niners are about to have some corners and secondary players hit free agency and that could lead them to look at Revis on the market./ Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell are also hitting the market and those are names that could come up for teams that miss on Revis, or if Revis stays with the Patriots.
The Patriots have not ruled out using the option on Revis, but it's likely they will try and work out a new deal. Revis has not missed a game since coming back from surgery and he has had four interceptions over the past two seasons with the Buccaneers and Patriots. The Eagles also could be a fit after they struggled against the pass along with the Cowboys, Bears and Cardinals.