The decision might be simple for Darrelle Revis if he hits free agency: winning versus money.
The cornerback ultimately will choose between the New England Patriots and New York Jets this offseason, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Thursday on Mad Dog Sports Radio with Adam Schein.
“I believe that it will come down to the Patriots and the Jets,” Schefter said. “I think the Jets are going to pay him short of whatever he wants to bring him back there because not only could they use him, it would be a huge moral, emotional victory for that franchise to bring him back there, get him to finish his career there.
“I don’t know what New England is going to offer him, I really don’t. Say it’s $10 million, $11 million a year, $12 million, and you’re the Jets and offer $15 (million), $16 million a year. Worth it to go back to New York to finish your career for a few million dollars more where you would be saluted as a king? I don’t know. It’s a question of what you find most important, what you value most in your life and what you want to do with your career.”
The Patriots are expected to decline Revis’ $20 million option before Tuesday, when the league year starts and free agency begins.
Schefter also believes safety Devin McCourty will command enough money in free agency that he’ll consider leaving the Patriots.
“It was a little surprising to me that McCourty wasn’t tagged and they went with Gostkowski,” Schefter said. “I think once McCourty gets to market, he’s going to get a lot of interest from a lot of different teams — Philadelphia, both New York teams. Look, what team in the league doesn’t need a safety? If you’re in that position, I think he is going to command big dollars.
“I think it is going to be a big enough offer that compels him to leave New England, a place he’d like to stay. He wants to be there. He’d like to stay there. This is going to be a business decision, and I think there are going to be some teams out there that make it a hard enough business decision for him to leave.”
The Patriots have until Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, when the open tampering period begins, to exclusively negotiate with McCourty. Free agency starts Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Thumbnail photo via Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports Images
