NFL 2015 Free Agency Update: Patriots Decline to Pick Up Contract Option on Darrelle Revis

Darrelle Revis, hot off of a Super Bowl win, will be one of the most coveted players in free agency.

According to ESPN.com, the New England Patriots have declined to pick up the all-pro cornerback's option year on his contract, making him a free agent on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

If the Patriots chose to pick up the option, they would have owed Revis a $20 million payout for 2015 that included a $12.5 million roster bonus. The Patriots have not commented about their decision to let Revis hit the market.

Several teams, especially the New York Jets, could be expected to offer Revis huge contracts. The New York Daily News reported that Jets owner Woody Johnson has been talking with new general manager Mike Maccagnan in regards to making a push to bring Revis to New York.

Manish Mehta wrote: "Revis' unceremonious exit two years ago was the handiwork of a stubborn and myopic GM with no understanding of the player's true value and impact, but Johnson now has an opportunity to rectify that mistake to help the new regime. Revis was the face of Rex Ryan's Jets, but bringing him back has little to do with nostalgia and everything to do with smart football decision-making. Revis would be invaluable in Todd Bowles' attacking defensive scheme that places a premium on press-man cover cornerbacks."

The Patriots, who have previously expressed their desire to keep Revis for the long haul, have kept in contact with Revis' representative in regards to negotiating a new contract.

Yahoo! Sports reported, "The team [Patriots] has reportedly been trying to lock up Revis to a long-term extension, and those talks surely will continue. But there are many other teams with a lot of cap room and no free agent on the market anywhere near Revis' level (if we believe all the reports about imminent signings to be factual), so the chase might get interesting."

Revis signed a two-year contract worth $32 million with the Patriots on March 17, 2014. Patriots president Jonathan Kraft had said that Revis' second year was a "placeholder," which suggests that the team never planned on absorbing the massive $25 million salary-cap charge.

Revis started in every game this past season. He finished with 14 passes defended in the regular season and two interceptions.