The New York Jets will begin their new era with a prime draft pick and enough salary cap space to fill the Hudson River. Normally, that would be enough to inflate a fan base with hope and optimism. But this is the New York Jets we are talking about here. The only championship this franchise has ever won came five years before The Beatles broke up. Yikes.
No, Jets fans need something a little bit more tangible to get excited about, which is why signing Darrelle Revis in free agency would be the perfect way to kick off this offseason.
Technically, Revis is under contract with the New England Patriots for 2015. But his option would count $25 million against the cap, so unless the two sides work out a long-term deal, it's possible the star cornerback could hit the open market.
"Returning to the Jets would mean joining new head coach Todd Bowles, a creative defensive mind champing at the bit to blitz in big moments," ESPN's Andrew Healy wrote. "In a similar situation under Rex Ryan, Revis was the most important defensive player in football.
"...Moreover, the Jets have the cap space they were lacking when then-GM John Idzik traded Revis away two years ago. According to overthecap.com, only three teams have more room than the Jets' $49 million. Before they go to the draft to potentially fix their Hindenburg-Sized quarterback problem, the Jets should make a big push to get Revis to bring his talents back to East Rutherford."
It's well known that Revis never wanted to leave the Jets in the first place. Nabbing him in free agency so he can finish his career where it started not only makes for an inspiring and sentimental storyline, it also makes a ton of football sense. Revis played spectacularly for the Patriots this season and helped shut down talented receivers throughout the postseason.
Normally, chasing marquee free agents as a down-and-out franchise is a pipe dream. But this scenario has some real legs. If the Pats don't fork over the necessary funds, it wouldn't be surprising to see Revis back in green and white next year.
