NFL rumors about Darrelle Revis raise some interesting questions for contending teams. Could the Seattle Seahawks benefit from giving Revis a contract for the 2017 NFL season? A report by NBC Sports clarifies that the New York Jets are still on the hook for his contract this upcoming season, potentially meaning another team could sign Revis at a significant discount.
Teams like the Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, and even the New England Patriots (again) have been mentioned as possible destinations for the veteran cornerback, but he remains a free agent available on the open market. Sports Illustrated revealed that the Jets had released Revis at the beginning of March, getting out of most of the $15.3 million in salary he was owed. The Jets still have to pay him the $6 million of guaranteed money left on the deal, but get off the hook if another team signs him for that amount.
Mike Florio at NBC Sports feels that Revis should just sit out the regular season.
“Come January, Revis should pick a team that has a need in the secondary, show them he can still run and cut and do whatever he needs to do to perform at an acceptable level, join a roster, and showcase his talents in during the playoffs. If, obviously, someone wants him.”
Here’s why Darrelle Revis should wait until the postseason to make his return https://t.co/33SmhMKlRr pic.twitter.com/vxupKi4Dhs
— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) July 6, 2017
It is presumable that a team which suffers an injury in the secondary or needs to add depth in the second half of the season (or the postseason) could look to Darrelle Revis. It could also be an opportunity for a franchise to step up and offer him a contract at the veteran’s minimum to put a “name” on defense. A reason for Revis to agree to a deal like that would be for him to prove that he can still be a shutdown corner on the field. Proving himself could then lead to a new contract during the 2018 NFL offseason.
Fortunes changed for quarterbacks going after Darrelle Revis in coverage in 2016 compared with the rest of his career. pic.twitter.com/a95mW9qKL5
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) July 5, 2017
The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles both need to improve in the secondary, so one of their rivals could see a Revis signing as a way to keep him away from an opponent. It would be a sly move for the Seattle Seahawks to sign him first, taking away the possibility of another playoff-bound team from getting him. Would Revis really sit out the full regular season just for a shot at a Super Bowl with a contender of his choosing? Is he willing to play at a discount? As the preseason games draw closer, his name is going to start surfacing in even more NFL rumors.
[Featured Image by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images]