It’s D Day for Darrelle Revis.
It’s Free Day.
It’s the day he will be Freevis, if Bill Belichick and the Patriots don’t give him a deal he cannot refuse.
It’s the day he can, if he so chooses, entertain a monster offer from Woody Johnson’s salivating Jets.
It’s a day when he can listen to critics label him a mercenary and laugh all the way to the Florham Park Independence Bank.
Or it’s a day he can negotiate a slightly lesser deal from the Patriots and show he values winning at this stage of his career more than the almighty buck.
It’s a day that can keep Belichick and Tom Brady as the beasts of the AFC East.
Or a day that can close the gap between the Patriots and everyone else in the division.
It’s a day that can reenergize the Jets franchise and its fan base and corner the market on hope for a better today and tomorrow.
It’s a day that, because of his shrewd business manipulation of the system through the years, will make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.
It’s a day Freevis will learn that you can go home again if you really want to.
It’s a day he gets to decide whether he wants to try to help the Patriots become the first repeat Super Bowl champion since the Patriots did it in 2005 and capture his second ring at the same time, or whether he wants to help Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles lead the resurrection of the Jets.
It’s a day he can, if he chooses, forgive Woody Johnson for trading him to the Buccaneers following his ACL surgery and forget the Jets owner spurned a possible reunion a year ago.
It’s a day, if Revis knows there is an offer he cannot refuse waiting for him — and you better believe he will — he likely will not refuse it.
It is the perfect storm that promises to greet Revis following the Patriots’ no-brainer decision not to pick up the $20 million placeholder option for 2015:
The $143.28 million salary cap, up from $133 million;
The almost $40 million burning a hole in Johnson’s pockets;
Revis’ return to dominance;
Bowles craving cornerbacks every bit as much as Rex Ryan did a year ago;
Johnson’s desperation following four straight seasons out of the playoffs;
Revis is the only difference maker at corner remaining on the open market, because Byron Maxwell (Eagles), Kareem Jackson (Texans) and Brandon Flowers (Chargers) are already spoken for.
The Jets were prepared to battle Ryan and the Bills for guard Mike Iupati, but he is reportedly headed to Arizona, for a nice chunk of change ($8.5 million per season).
Iupati would have been the ideal mauler alongside Nick Mangold to deal with Ndamukong Suh in Miami, but any money Maccagnan was willing to spend on him can be earmarked for Revis.
Be that as it may, Money Mike Maccagnan has announced himself as the anti-John Idzik when it comes to throwing greenbacks around.
Revis will be 30 in July. This will be his last chance at a big score. He is still great enough to live on his own Island and influence games.
It’s the day that will determine whether Revis goes into the Hall of Fame as a Patriot, or as a Jet.
It’s a day that can start with him as Darrelle Freevis, and end with him as Darrelle Revi$$$.