When cornerback Darrelle Revis was last a member of the Patriots, comments from Jets owner Woody Johnson about bringing him back to his first NFL team led to a $100,000 fine from the league for tampering.
Revis wound up returning to the Jets ahead of the 2015 season, but he was released this offseason so Patriots owner Robert Kraft doesn’t have to worry about anyone pulling a Vladimir Putin to his bank account for commenting about the cornerback returning to New England. That may explain why Kraft was happy to do so at the league meetings in Arizona on Monday.
“I would love it,” Kraft said, via Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. “Speaking for myself, if he wanted to come back, he’s a great competitor, I’d welcome him if he wanted to come.”
There’s been other chatter about a possible reunion, but none of the people chattering nor Kraft are in control of making a deal that would bring Revis back to New England. That’s Bill Belichick’s department and it seems safe to say that he won’t be sharing any of his thoughts on that front.
The same is true of the team’s plans regarding cornerback Malcolm Butler, who has not signed his restricted free agent tender or an offer sheet with the Saints after a visit with New Orleans. There’s been plenty of discussion about how things will play out with Butler. Kraft said he has “great affection” for the corner and that his wish would be for another year in New England.
“I hope he’s with us and signs his [tender] and plays for us. ... I don’t want to, in any way, take away from his rights, I want to be clear. I hope he’s with us,” Kraft said, via the Boston Globe.
The possibility of a Revis encore may be linked to how things play out with Butler as the Patriots already have Stephon Gilmore under contract. The deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with other teams is April 21.