Some takeaways on the front-page news that cornerback Darrelle Revis is returning to the New York Jets:
1. This might be the Jets' biggest free-agent signing. Ever. It's certainly the most expensive -- $70 million over five years, including $39 million guaranteed, according to a source. It sends a loud message: These aren't your John Idzik Jets. New general manager Mike Maccagnan just made himself a popular fellow in New York.
2. To paraphrase Gordon Gekko, "Greed is good ... for the Jets." Revis' love of money -- the reason he got traded two years ago -- worked in the Jets' favor this time. Oh, the irony. To steal him from the New England Patriots, the Jets had to blow the defending champs out of the water, presumably. The Jets also love sticking it to the Patriots -- the opportunities are so rare -- so this is an ego-massaging move.
3. With one blockbuster signing, the Jets accomplished two things: They addressed their No. 1 need and weakened their No. 1 rival. No doubt, they will get criticized for overpaying for an almost-30-year-old cornerback, but it's highly unusual for a generational talent to hit free agency. You could argue there are only two in this year's market -- Revis and Ndamukong Suh. When you can grab a guy like that and not blow up your cap situation, you do it.
4. Yes, it's an obscene amount of money, but, hey, they had an estimated $45 million in cap space (including the release of Percy Harvin) before any free-agent signings. With no franchise quarterback, the Jets don't have to budget for a nine-figure contract anytime soon. In a sense, Revis becomes their franchise quarterback. He definitely becomes the face of the franchise, adding box-office appeal to a team that lacks star power. The only way it backfires is if Revis hits the wall in the next two or three seasons.
5. Schematically, Revis is an ideal fit in coach Todd Bowles' system. Much like his predecessor, Rex Ryan, Bowles puts his corners in man-to-man situations with little or no help. Under Bowles, the Arizona Cardinals blitzed more than any team last season. He will bring that attacking mentality to the Jets, but it wouldn't have been possible with the holdover personnel. With Dee Milliner recovering from Achilles' tendon surgery (he might not be ready until early summer), they had no healthy, starting-caliber corners. Unlike Idzik, Maccagnan is giving his coach the players Bowles needs to operate.
6. That crash you just heard was the sound of Ryan throwing a lamp against a wall inside his office at One Bills Drive. If the Jets had met Revis' demands two years ago, or even last year when he was on the market, Ryan might still have a job in New York.