Patriots decline option on Darrelle Revis, cornerback becomes free agent

Darrelle Revis' 2014 offseason began with his release from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A year later, Revis' offseason is starting much in the same way, as Adam Schefter of ESPN reports the New England Patriots have declined his $20 million option and allowed him to hit free agency.

Revis' lone year in New England proved to be an important one. He reestablished himself as a lockdown cover man for a vastly improved defense that helped the Patriots win their first Super Bowl in a decade. Revis put together his finest season since 2011, his last healthy year with the New York Jets. Opposing quarterbacks rarely threw in his direction, and when they did he limited them to a suboptimal rating of 74.7, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Patriots said publicly they wanted to hold on to Revis, and according to Ian Rapoport, the Patriots will continue to negotiate with the cornerback. However, his contract as originally constructed would have put the team on the hook for a $12.5 million roster bonus with a cap hit of $25 million. Such figures would have put the Patriots well over the salary cap. With his option declined, Revis immediately becomes one of the top free agents on the open market.

Revis expects to have plenty of suitors for his services beyond the Patriots. Reports surfaced in early February stating that both the Jets and the Buffalo Bills, now coached by the cornerback's former coach, Rex Ryan, would make a run at the All-Pro. Teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns, all of which need to spend in order to reach the CBA-mandated cap floor, could also throw their hats into the ring.