Patriots' Devin McCourty's Agent Says Retirement 'Is Not an Option' Ahead of FA

Ahead of Devin McCourty's impending free agency, the safety's agent said his client intends to play next season.

According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, Andy Simms of Young Money APAA Sports said: "He wants to play. Retirement is not an option."

The 32-year-old McCourty has spent his entire 10-year NFL career with the New England Patriots after they selected him at No. 27 overall in the 2010 draft out of Rutgers.

McCourty is a two-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion who is coming off another highly productive season. He finished 2019 with 58 tackles, seven passes defended and five interceptions, which matched the second-highest single-season total of his career and was one off the NFL lead.

He also started all 16 games for a fourth consecutive year. McCourty has missed just five games over his career.

During a recent appearance on the Double Coverage podcast (h/t Reiss), McCourty suggested that it will take time before he feels whether remaining in New England is in the cards: "No one really knows what's going to happen. I would say most teams really don't even think about free agency for a couple weeks; I would say the beginning of March ... So you think where you could go, will you be on your team again? But there's really nothing [definitive] to think about."

One factor that could play a role is the status of his twin brother, Jason McCourty, who is under contract with the Patriots through next season.

Jason saw his role get reduced significantly as the 2019 season progressed, though. He played just eight snaps from Weeks 12-17 while nursing a groin injury that required surgery and was inactive for the Patriots' AFC Wild Card Round loss to his former team, the Tennessee Titans.

Since Jason's spot on New England's roster may not be guaranteed, perhaps a team could sell the McCourty brothers on sticking together and signing with them this offseason.

Two destinations that would make sense are the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants. Both teams have secondary needs. Plus Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is a former Patriots defensive play-caller, and new Giants head coach Joe Judge was New England's special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach.

Much of the focus regarding the Patriots has been on the status of quarterback Tom Brady, who is set to enter free agency for the first time, but losing Devin McCourty (26 career interceptions) would be a huge blow to the defense.