Report: Patriots Won't Pick Up Darrelle Revis' Option, Making Him A Free Agent
BOSTON (CBS) -- In an unsurprising yet nevertheless significant development in the offseason of Darrelle Revis, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that the Patriots will not be picking up the option on Revis' contract for 2015.
The decision will allow Revis to become a free agent on Tuesday at 4 p.m., thereby giving the other 31 teams in the NFL a fair chance to sign the All-Pro cornerback.
All along, this was expected, as the two-year, $32 million deal Revis signed last offseason was considered to essentially be a one-year deal. That's because activating that option year would cost the Patriots a $25 million cap hit, which would be prohibitive to building a roster.
The Boston Herald's Jeff Howe followed up Schefter's report by saying that the news could be the latest play by the Patriots in an ongoing negotiation.
The Patriots still have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday to elusively negotiate with Revis, so it is possible that a deal could be agreed upon before then. Yet this early news might indicate that such an agreement coming together quickly might not be likely.
Revis, who will turn 30 in July, made two interceptions and defensed 14 passes last season, his first in New England after six years with the Jets and a one-year pit stop in Tampa Bay. He made three tackles and one interception while defensing two passes in the Patriots' postseason, which ended with a Super Bowl victory over the Seahawks.
The Jets are believed to be the Patriots' main competitor to sign Revis this year.
