NFL Rumors: Analyzing Buzz Surrounding Darrelle Revis, Frank Gore and More

At 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, we will officially be in a new league year and the free-agency period will commence. With a bevy of talented veterans slated to hit the open market, each NFL team will have the opportunity to tremendously improve its roster by signing a top-tier player to a lucrative deal.

Of course, many of these impending deals are already known, as rumors continue to circulate around the Web, taking the mystery out of the free-agency process. Although, there are still some big-ticket names that could land with a number of franchises. Let's go ahead and focus on them here.

Before the ink dries from the first wave of signings and millions of dollars in contracts are doled out to the league's top-tier free agents, here's a look at some last-minute gossip surrounding a few available players.

Darrelle Revis

Darrelle Revis' first year with the New England Patriots went pretty well. The veteran cornerback racked up 47 tackles, one forced fumble, two interceptions and 14 passes defensed, earning a plus-17.7 efficiency rating from Pro Football Focus, ranking fourth of 108 eligible cornerbacks. Oh, he was part of a Super Bowl-winning team as well.

With a $7.5 million base salary and a $12.5 million roster bonus due in 2015, Revis would be quite expensive for the Patriots to keep. This led to speculation he would eventually hit the open market. Well, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, that appears to be the case:

So, what would teams have to pay Revis to bring him aboard, and which teams may be in play? Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com answered both questions:

Both the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs would appear to be great fits for Revis; however, before Patriots fans pull out all of their hair, take a glance at this tweet from Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports:

Yes, New England is still in play despite opting to decline Revis' option. The team would likely be able to maintain the cornerback's services for less than the $20 million it was slated to pay in 2015; although, a multiyear deal with lots of guaranteed money will have to be part of the equation.

Frank Gore

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Here's a great example of how things can change in a matter of 24 hours when dealing with NFL free-agency rumors.

Running back Frank Gore appeared all set to sign a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Jim Corbett of USA Today; although, that didn't last long. The 10-year veteran may have gotten cold feet, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported a change of heart:

So, where is Gore likely to land now? Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 tweeted the update:

Eagles fans were heartbroken following Gore's decision and released this tribute video thanking the ball-carrier for his services:

In all seriousness, it seems the Eagles will need to look elsewhere in their search for a north-south runner. The Indianapolis Colts will be obtaining a veteran who is still very capable of shouldering a large workload and will bring some balance to a pass-heavy offense.

Last season, Gore rushed 255 times, generating 1,106 yards and four touchdowns with the San Francisco 49ers. His career average of 4.5 yards per carry will be a tremendous boost over the failed experiment known as Trent Richardson.

Jermaine Gresham

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With Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas looking very likely to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com, the teams that missed out will be aiming for Plan B—otherwise known as Jermaine Gresham.

A former first-round pick, the 6'5", 260-pound Gresham is an imposing presence; however, he never quite seemed to live up to expectations with the Cincinnati Bengals. In five years with the team, the tight end accumulated 280 receptions for 2,722 yards and 24 touchdowns while averaging 9.7 yards per catch.

Robinson relayed a pair of teams interested in Gresham's services:

Gresham has improved his blocking since entering the league in 2010, and while he can be inconsistent as a pass-catcher, he is a solid red-zone target and should be a viable candidate for teams looking for inexpensive help at the position.