NFL Rumors: Entering free agency ‘exciting' for Patriots' Devin McCourty

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Tom Brady's impending free agency has dominated Patriots headlines during Super Bowl week, but he's not the only high-profile player whose future in Foxboro is uncertain this offseason.

After 10 seasons in New England, Devin McCourty is also entering free agency — and he's doing so with an open mind. 

Speaking to Phil Perry in Miami Thursday, the veteran defensive back confirmed that he won't be retiring, but when Perry asked if he wanted to play with the Patriots, the 32-year-old kept his options open.

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"We'll see how it goes. I think when you're in the league for 10 years now, you see how it's a business... so it's a cool headline if I say I want to be back. Yeah, everybody writes that, but that doesn't really matter, you know what I mean?" said McCourty. 

"We're just entering February, we'll still have a full month before you really even kick into gear about free agency. I still gotta see who's interested. But it's exciting for me. My kids are 2 and 1. They can go anywhere; we're just excited to be in this position, to have played in my 10th year, had a good year and still have an opportunity to play and further my career."

McCourty is coming off a stellar campaign in 2019 with five interceptions, his most since 2012, so it's no wonder that Perry termed McCourty the team's most important free agent priority after Brady.

But with Brady's status also up in the air, does that affect his thought process about a potential return? 

"It doesn't affect that, but I think one of the cool reasons of going back to your team is the guys that you have there," McCourty said. "So Tom changes that, Kyle Van Noy changes that, Elandon (Roberts) -- it's so many great relationships, so you gotta see how it works and also understand being a free agent means your individual process and go from there."

The Patriots have an option to bring McCourty's brother Jason back next season, and the twins told Perry that "in an ideal world, we play together."

But the question remains: will that happen? And if it does, will it be in New England? Devin didn't have answers for that, at least not yet.

"March 18 will be whatever March 18 is and we'll deal with it then."

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