Patriots sign CB Darrelle Revis (2 years, $32 million): A+ Grade
If you don't believe this is an incredible move for New England, just check out the reaction from Jet fans on Twitter. Here's one from @LilMissNYJet:
"God hates Jets fans. I hate everything. And if you’re ok with this? Go buy a f***ing Pats jersey."
This is a huge win for Bill Belichick. After losing Aqib Talib to the Broncos (and also watching DeMarcus Ware and T.J. Ward sign there), Belichick had to do something to keep his team competitive with Denver. That something was sign the top free agent this offseason.
Those who didn't follow Darrelle Revis closely enough this past year might think he regressed, but that's not even remotely the case. Revis didn't play as well in Tampa's zone early on, but he thrived once he went back to man coverage. He was also coming off a torn ACL, so given that he'll be two years removed from that injury, he'll be even better in 2014.
The money is more than fair for Revis. After all, aside from perhaps Richard Sherman, he's the top cornerback in the NFL. He was set to make $16 million with Tampa, so New England is getting him for $4 million less. This is also just a 1-year deal, so unlike the Broncos, the Patriots aren't risking their future by bringing in a future Hall of Famer.
UPDATE: Darrelle Revis deal is actually two years, $32 million. However, it's effectively the same as the initial term because the Patriots have a $20 million team option in 2015, which they almost certainly won't use. The only real difference is that New England won't be able to franchise Revis after this season, so this grade remains an A+.