So This Revis-to-the-Patriots Deal Might Actually be a Thing?

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The GlobeAt first glance it seemed like a pipe dream, a pie-in-the-sky type of move cooked up by fantasy football general managers. Darrelle Revis to the Patriots? What, are you kidding? … There’s no way the Patriots could afford him under the salary cap, right? Well, I’ve had a few days to chew on it and crunch the numbers. And it’s pretty clear what the Patriots need to do. Go get Revis. Seriously…Revis is set to make $16 million per year — $13 million in base salary, plus a $1.5 million roster bonus due each March and a $1.5 million workout bonus for showing up each offseason. At that structure, Revis’s $16 million salary cap number would be the largest on the Patriots – higher than Tom Brady’s $14.8 million. But that contract comes with a big asterisk, as discovered by the Tampa Tribune. Per the contract, the team can convert Revis’s $13 million salary into a guaranteed bonus at any time… That would put Revis’s 2014 salary cap number at $8 million — $3 million in base salary, $2 million bonus proration, $1.5 million roster bonus and $1.5 million workout bonus — which the Patriots easily could handle. The Patriots currently sit with $12.7 million in cap space for 2014

The Herald[T]there’s still no reason to believe the Darrelle Revis rumors have any credence, so forget that overly speculated trade.

Way to kill the buzz, Herald.  Seriously, since all this Revis-to-the-Patriots talk started a week or so ago, I’ve taken a back seat to no man when it comes to shooting the idea down.  It just made no sense on any level.  The guy’s a terrific corner, there’s no question about it.  Not at good as he’s made out to be.  With the Jets he entered that BrettFavre, Derek Jeter, Ray Lewis realm where it’s perceived he can do no wrong and every time he gave up a completion it was the safety’s fault or whatever.  And we’ve also seen him short arm some tackles rather than get run over.  But Revis is unquestionably one of the top handful of cover guys in the league.  My problem was always that you don’t eat a $16 million cap hit on any defensive back, even if it was Jesus in his prime.  You pay one guy that kind of money only if he’ll make your unit one of the top five in the league all by himself.  And the only guys capable of that are quarterbacks.  People might think Revis is the best in the business, but Tampa’s defense was like 15th in the league and their pass D was like 17th.  Oh, and they won 4 games.  Not to mention he’s a holdout waiting to happen.  The Jets had Revis so convinced he shits Nutella that he held out, got the deal he wanted, signed it, cashed the bonus check, then wiped his ass with the contract and said he’d hold out again.  That’s why the traded a guy they were building shrines to. So it would be exactly the kind of stupid, PR-stunt moves the Patriots never make to bring him here.

Or so I thought, until I read that Globe article.   That’s a game changer.  Plus Jason LaConfora was on Toucher and Rich saying Revis could be pried from Tampa for a 3rd and possibly even a 4th rounder.  Should they part with a Day 2 draft pick and take a paltry $8 million cap hit this year for Revis?  And thereby be able to hang onto the Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly, Dan Connolly and still have room to add the mid-level free agents they love so much?  And do it by handing him enough money up front it’ll even shut him up?  You’re goddamned right they should.  In a nanosecond so fast the Hadron Particle Collider couldn’t measure it.  So let’s hope the Globe is right and the Herald is wrong.  If they can swing this I’ll personally go to Tampa and drive him to Foxboro.  @JerryThornton1