Darrelle Revis, the Patriots’ most notable free agent signing this offseason, has yet to even appear in a preseason contest for the club, but according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, the club already has interest in ensuring that he remains in New England long-term. Appearing in a video spot on Bleacher Report, Cole says the Pats are “privately already starting to talk about extending [Revis’] contract.”
“The Patriots like what they see so much — they think they see the next Ty Law, that shutdown cover corner to really get their defense going. They’d like to extend him now,” Cole said. “Robert Kraft, the owner of the team, has pulled [Revis] aside and has started to talk to him to see if they can get a long-term deal worked out.”
Revis, 29, signed a two-year, $32MM contract with the Patriots, though it’s structured in such a way that it’ll almost certainly end up being a one-year, $12MM pact if it isn’t extended. Currently, the 2015 cap number on the deal is an unpalatable $25MM. Given the huge extensions signed by cornerbacks like Richard Sherman, Joe Haden, and Patrick Peterson so far this offseason, Revis may be inclined to hit the open market in March to see if he can land a similar contract, since it seems unlikely New England would make such a huge commitment.
Still, based on Cole’s comments, it sounds like the Patriots have been very impressed with the former Buccaneer and Jet so far, and the team likely recognizes that Revis won’t accept a significant discount, so it’s reasonable to expect a fair offer. It will be interesting to keep an eye on possible negotiations between the two sides this summer and fall, since securing Revis long-term would give the Pats a cornerstone in their secondary.