Darrelle Revis is joining the New England Patriots as many expected.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Revis and the Pats agreed on a one-year deal worth $12 million.
Revis was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday, just before he was due a monetary bonus. The Bucs also would have owed the New York Jets a third-round pick instead of a fourth-round pick if he were still on their roster, which is why they released him.
Revis earned $16 million last season with the Bucs and was set to earn just as much this year, so he is taking a $4 million cut. Compared to the amount of money other top cornerbacks like Sam Shields, Aqib Talib, Vontae Davis and Alterraun Verner all received, Revis is still being paid well.
This is a great deal for the Patriots. Revis needed a few games to get back into top form as he was recovering from knee surgery, but he was definitely back to being a shutdown corner last season. The Patriots desperately needed that for their defense — and they even got an upgrade over Talib, who left for Denver.
This makes the AFC East a lot more interesting, too. Revis was a first-round pick of the Jets in 2007 and was with them through 2012. There were rumors about Revis reuniting with the Jets, but he chose the Pats instead.
Apparently Bill Belichick didn’t hold it against the cornerback that Revis once called him a “jerk” in a word association game. I wouldn’t have either.
