Talib opts for one-year bet-on-self approach with Pats

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The cornerback market stinks this year.  So Aqib Talib will try it again next year.

PFT has confirmed that Talib signed a one-year, $5 million deal to remain with the Patriots.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, there were two other multi-year options that Talib was close to taking.  But Talib decided in the end, like so many others have done under the new labor deal, to sign a short-term deal and then to hit the market again in 2014.

It’s a coup for the Patriots, who are in the process of beefing up their defense without losing players like Talib and Kyle Arrington.

The Redskins were also believed to be interested in the former first-round pick of the Buccaneers, who was traded to New England in October.

81 responses to “Talib opts for one-year bet-on-self approach with Pats

  1. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
    We bleed perfection. You bleed mortality. We win big games. You shrivel. Wow, we are dominant in every aspect. Wow, you are lacking. ~ 6 rings
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  2. So happy at this one, as we needed him back badly, since our defense never looked the same when he left in the ravens game. Thanks talib, for not taking the one year offer as disrespectful. You are the man!

  3. The skins have no shot because the giants owner demanded they be punished for not staying under a salary cap that did not really exist and the league agreed.

  4. Despite protestations from the haters about “character issues” when the trade was made, Talib turned out to be an outstanding pickup for New England last year. I expect an even better season from Talib in 2013 with a full training camp and preseason under his belt.

  5. Nice, Pats needed him in a big way, but would really be rolling the dice giving Talib long term/guaranteed money. Let him play for a contract for another yr and maybe the market will be better next yr and he’ll cash in. As long as Dennard doesn’t do any serious time, the secondary is shaping up pretty good. Get a situational pass rusher and they’re set.

  6. Shrewd move on Talib’s part, as the prospects for a more competitive multi-year deal—with a team not known as the Patriots—may be better in 2014.

  7. Talib will regret not signing with the greatest team in NFL history, the Redskins. Best players, best coaches, best history, best stadium, best record, best owner. HTTR.

  8. He definitely helped in the backfield but Im not sure he was worth 5 mil. Lets see him earn it this year.

  9. It is not often a player will opt for a one year deal over a multiple year contract. It seem Talib doesn’t have faith in the future of this team.

  10. Talib is really what the Pats have been missing in their secondary. A big, physical type corner who can cover and bump wideouts at the line of scrimmage.

    I’ll just say it. IF he stays out of trouble (that’s a big IF) he could be what Ty Law was to the Pats a decade ago during their SB runs.

  11. benroethlisberger7
    The next time your teams wins a Super Bowl by bearing the Patriots in the playoffs it will be the first time.
    The Patriots have beaten the Steelers 3 times on their way to the Super Bowl.

  12. Pats fans – Dennard will almost certainly be suspended for 4-8 games regardless of avoiding jail time. Goodell won’t let him get away with a felony conviction of assaulting a police officer. Probably 4 games since it happened before he was drafted, but he’ll be out for awhile.

  13. Well given what premium CB’s go for nowadays, if he does in New England, what he was started to do in Tampa, you can bet he will be in for a significant raise. Despite his prior legal issues. See Mike Vicks 100 million/35.5 million guaranteed contract AFTER he was released from prison and had ONE good year.

  14. Yes! Maybe Talib is smarter and more confident about his talent then what some people think, choosing to stay with a good team to establish his value and win instead of leaving elsewhere for more money.
    Very good news for the Patriots.

  15. Like Welker..when they are done with him they’ll put him to the curb like trash.

  16. patriotinvasion says: Mar 16, 2013 12:50 PM

    Pats fans – Dennard will almost certainly be suspended for 4-8 games regardless of avoiding jail time. Goodell won’t let him get away with a felony conviction of assaulting a police officer. Probably 4 games since it happened before he was drafted, but he’ll be out for awhile.

    ——————-

    Let’s hope not. Dennard can definitely appeal it since a player another team drafted(I think the Jets?) was in a similar situation and was not suspended since it happened prior to the draft.

    This is good for both sides. I don’t think Talib will screw up, pretty sure he wanted the 1 year deal to prove he can stay out of trouble so he’ll be worth more next year.

    Hope the pats draft another CB since we may not be able to afford Talib next year 🙁

  17. dlk47823 says:Mar 16, 2013 12:50 PM

    And Brady is still cursing BB for nor bringing back Welker as he PROMISED.

    Promised? Are you nuts….BB was sending Brady a message by not signing Welker. Time to bring Tommy boy back to reality a little bit. Best move the Pats have made was not resigning Welker….Amendola was a much better value pickup. The offense is going to be different next year….more emphasis on the run and more outside the hash marks passes. Teams figured out how to stifle the pats offense was to clog the middle.
    Brady needs to be brought down a couple of notches and reminded of his place…..BB will never let a player determine who stays and who goes.

  18. The reason that Talib can’t get a long-term deal is because of his ‘character risk’. One year of good behavior is not going to turn that into a non-issue. So this doesn’t really help him all that much.

    On the other hand, good move for the Patriots, as they’re soon to be less relevant when Brady’s skill-level falls off a cliff with advancing age.

  19. cdoyle444cdoyle444 says:
    Mar 16, 2013 12:38 PM
    PATS secondary finally starting to take shape. Denard gets off with probation and all of a sudden we have a formidable unit.

    I don’t know about formidable but if the Pats can find a decent situational pass rusher, and the judge gives Dennard what he probably really deserves (30 days or so picking up trash along a highway and some sort of probation), then the secondary should be serviceable enough that the Pats won’t have to put up 35 every week to win 12+ regular season games. If Abraham or Freeney have any gas left in the tank, either one would be a nice pickup for those passing downs for a year or two.

  20. beachsidejames says:
    Mar 16, 2013 12:57 PM
    Like Welker..when they are done with him they’ll put him to the curb like trash.

    lol…Where can I find an employer who will offer me $5 million per year for two years to be put to the curb like trash?

  21. dlk47823 says:
    Mar 16, 2013 12:50 PM
    And Brady is still cursing BB for nor bringing back Welker as he PROMISED.

    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
    Where do you come up with this stuff? Show one article that claims that BB promised to keep Welker.

  22. harrisbarton says: The reason that Talib can’t get a long-term deal is because of his ‘character risk’.

    _______________________

    The article says he was offered a couple of multiple year options but he turned them down. Do you read before you post? Or is that the Foxboro Kool-Aid blurring your vision.

  23. harrisbarton says:
    Mar 16, 2013 1:06 PM
    The reason that Talib can’t get a long-term deal is because of his ‘character risk’. One year of good behavior is not going to turn that into a non-issue. So this doesn’t really help him all that much.

    On the other hand, good move for the Patriots, as they’re soon to be less relevant when Brady’s skill-level falls off a cliff with advancing age.
    —–

    Yeah, because we haven’t been hearing this since 2005

  24. @benroethlisberger7 ,

    By going into almost every single thread and making those ridiculous posts you only show your own insecurity about the poor state the Steelers are in these days.

    True champions don’t need to run around like a 5 year old shouting ‘I’m the best, I’m the best, I’m the best’ over and over.

    You can irritate people into noticing you, but you never impress them or contribute anything to the discussion.

  25. The player earlier posters were talking about was Kendrick Ellis for the jets. His incident happened before he was drafted too, but he pled it down to a misdemeanor, so he wasn’t convicted of a felony like Dennard. Still, I disagree Dennard will face suspension from Goodell. It woudn’t be worth the stink the Players Assoc would put up.

  26. It is fascinating how non-controversial win-win transactions like this can still bring out delusional, mean spirited snark bites from Dwight Schrute wannabes like Roethlisberger7, logicalvoice and their ilk.

  27. Brilliant move. Talib will play motivated for his next contract.

    All Hail the Genius.

    Go Pats.

  28. logicailvoicesays says: weve been waiting for u to chime in for yr redskins are the greatest whatever words, i see u pop mollys huh

  29. The Pats have still taken a step back this season. True they’ve retained a couple of key players, but ultimately trade Welker and Woodhead for Amendola and Washington. A net loss for the team so

  30. Yeah, because we haven’t been hearing this since 2005

    ————–
    On a 4th and 4 with the game on the line Brady was either unable or unwilling to outrun a 300+ lb nose tackle. Tell me that age is irrelevant.

    If you look at QB’s in their mid to late 30’s, historically their skills don’t decline gradually. For a while they don’t decline much at all, and then they fall off a cliff. I certainly haven’t been saying this since 2005, but his day is soon to come. Just sayin’ that the Pats are wise to go ‘all in’ in the next year or two.

  31. @patriotsinvasion It would be pretty messed up if the Dennard got suspended for something he did before he was even a Patriot. Plus he was going to be a first or second rounder and got drafted in the 7th round. He lost a lot of money in that, I think that should be punishment enough.

  32. I guess nobody is complaining about giving up this year’s 4th round pick now.

    Agree with joesixpack, well spent pick.

  33. Welker had to go get his new contract because the Pats wanted him for cheap. The last few years they treated him like he was unimportant. They just are not loyal, honest, or good to the players that have been good to them. Now that Brady is getting older he will soon find out that they could care less what he thinks too. They are kissing up to Volmer now because without him …their screwed. If Volmer was smart he would get out of that place FAST while he still has a chance!

  34. who’s next? I say they still need another quality corner. Getting sanders locked up will be a steal…he will do really well in the Pats offense. BB will probably trade down in the draft to get more picks since this is such a deep draft. Doubt they go after Edelman now that Washington is signed. What other CB’s are out there that would fit into the D scheme?

  35. Where do you come up with this stuff? Show one article that claims that BB promised to keep Welker

    they said tom redid his deal in anticipation of welker coming back

  36. So long as Talib stays out of trouble and Bruce Allen (and to a lesser extent, Raheem Morris) is still with the Redskins next season, you’ll see Talib sign a multi year contract with Washington. New England is essentially leasing Talib, and while he’s wildly overrated (418 snaps played and still allowed 775 passing yards), he’s still better than anyone else in New England’s secondary.

    It’s a ‘prove it’ deal for Talib. Stay out of trouble, stay away from the cabbies, guns, Adderal and rookie symposiums and cut down on being torched while still being a ballhawk and he’ll get his money.

    Pats fans, these are the facts. Thumbs down all day if you have to, but numbers don’t lie. Aside from their safeties, the Bucs currently have a woeful secondary. Talib was their best corner, but that doesn’t make him elite, just as it doesn’t make him elite because he’s the best corner on the Pats, another team weak in the secondary. Alfonzo Dennard is nearly as good a player as Talib for a fraction of the price.

    I expect most Pats fans to disregard all I’ve typed above, but with a full season of Talib you’ll soon experience what Bucs fans have witnessed for several years; a knack to intercept, a tendency to get roasted by his man, and having your heart skip a beat anytime Talib is mentioned in the mainstream news outlets. And don’t forget about the injuries. Good luck next season and lets say we all meet here next year to repeat this verbatim to logicalvoices when Talib signs with Washington.

  37. We dodged a major bullet with this one! If you don’t believe me just look at what Boldin did in the AFC Championship after Talib went out with the hip injury.

    Lock him up for gods sake!

  38. Wow predicting next year’s free agent signings. They must call you the ‘swami’

  39. Gregwitul: What’s to downvote? It was clear that while Talib wasn’t spectacular in the position last year, he was better than what they were putting on the field before AND it allowed the Patriots to slide other players into more natural/effective positions. In addition, it allowed BB to throw more people at the passer, because even though Talib did allow allot of yards he didn’t make it easy most of the time.

  40. “Ridley Me This says:
    Mar 16, 2013 1:39 PM
    @patriotsinvasion It would be pretty messed up if the Dennard got suspended for something he did before he was even a Patriot. Plus he was going to be a first or second rounder and got drafted in the 7th round. He lost a lot of money in that, I think that should be punishment enough.”

    —————–

    The league reserves the right to do so if someone is arrested like he was the year before the draft.

    But it was his first offense and I doubt he’s going to get more than a game or 2 suspension at this point, if that. It wasn’t like he set out from home with the idea of punching a cop, he got caught up in the heat of the moment when an altercation broke out.

    I think its unlikely he’ll get either jail time or a long suspension.

  41. @thegregwitul

    I’m a Pats fan and none of that sounds unreasonable to me. That’s part of why I like the 1 year aspect for my team as much as it’s good for Talib also.

    It could also be hedging for how long the Pats might be without Dennard (who yes is their best CB as far as last year). His sentencing is in April.

  42. @thegregwitul,

    all good points except that if Talib has a great season,he can be franchised if the Pats choose to do so. They control his destiny for the next two seasons

  43. Excellent signing for the Patriots, as it pertains to the short term. They still need one more corner (or to hope that Ras-I Dowling can stay healthy … but considering he’s been hurt each year since his senior year at UVA … ). I hope they keep McCourty at S instead of moving him to CB … he was simply better there, but with the Wilson signing, I wonder if Devin is their answer at CB.

    They can now pivot towards trying to find a deep WR to open up their offense, some OL help, and some DL depth.

  44. @mornelithe: the down vote comment was made due to the maddening number of comments from Pats fans from the moment Talib was traded to this very article confirming his one year deal. It’s as if Aqib Talib was suddenly the second coming of Deion Sanders and Nighttrain Lane. I get the lack of talent in the Pats secondary, but Alfonzo Dennard is near the level Talib is at now, both on and off the field. In fact, if it wasn’t for the off field incident, Dennard would have been a second round pick.

    @ampats: The franchise tag option is very real and would have to at least be considered by the Patriots if Talib has a strong season. But would you really want to tag Talib with his history? Remember, outside of his fistfight at the rookie symposium with a teammate, Talib isn’t a problem in the locker room. He generally practices and plays hard, the issue is off the field. I defended him while 90% of the posters on this site dogged the man during his gun case. When looking at the facts, Talib may have went to an extreme to protect his sister, but due to his past, he didn’t get the benefit of the doubt, which I guess is somewhat fair. The franchise number for a corner is rather high, and I just have a gut feeling the Redskins will wait until they have a full salary cap to work with next season to make a large offer.

    It’s honestly too early to tell. With the Ravens gutting their roster to a certain degree, I’m not sure if they will be a real threat to repeat. Talib matches up well with a player like Boldin, but he’ll have trouble against a Mike Wallace and possibly Stevie Johnson, both in the Pats division. Being a taller and more physical corner, Talib excels against bigger receivers such as Boldin, and while he is a great value signing for only five million, I think the ongoing status of Alfonzo Dennard will be equally if not more important of a development to watch than the Talib signing.

  45. benroethlisberger7 says: Mar 16, 2013 12:15 PM

    ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
    We bleed perfection. You bleed mortality. We win big games. You shrivel. Wow, we are dominant in every aspect. Wow, you are lacking. ~ 6 rings
    ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

    logicalvoice says: Mar 16, 2013 12:25 PM

    Talib will regret not signing with the greatest team in NFL history, the Redskins. Best players, best coaches, best history, best stadium, best record, best owner. HTTR.

    ***********************************************

    I think you two should meet after 8th period in the school yard and fight it out.

    Roeth7 must be pissed because the ever so ill-logical one has stolen his routine. At least Roeth7 can claim to be the original village idiot.
    Logical is just an impersonator

  46. now please stay healthy Aqib….please

    How about it. The dominoes started falling in that game when he went out.

  47. Patsy’s are going in the wrong direction. Just like the Celtics and Red Sox. Their team is getting old and the few good players they have left are seeing it too. Very sad when your a Boston fan and all your teams are starting to suck.

  48. Actually the Patriots are pretty young other than Brady they have a young running game, they have a young receiving group, they have a young defense, even a young offensive line.

    If what they did last year was “starting to suck,” and all the players they’ve signed so far are pretty solid and they’re not finished plus the draft. So they’re only getting better not worse sorry hater.

    Oh and the Celtics are playing pretty well, and they aren’t going anywhere, same with the Sox they have a pretty good team, and a solid group of prospects as well as a bunch of money. Sorry hater you have no idea what your talking about I guess your just like the rest of the haters who have no idea what they’re talking about.

  49. Big poppi gonna take the Sox somewhere? Maybe out to eat. Is he even still playing? lol. But then there’s the Celtics. Guess your betting the house they take the title this year. Grampa Garnett looks like he’s got alot left in the tank. And Tom a little sensitive Brady is one hit away from being finished. But being undefeated all year is important. Except for that one silly game. What did they call that? Oh yes, I forgot they call that one the super bowl. Not to worry about that though. Your team won’t be playing in that one anytime soon.

  50. @gregwitfulwhatever:

    To predict a free agent signing a yr in advance is ridiculous. A thousand things can happen with cap space, injuries, finding gems in the draft or UFA etc.

    No one is saying Talib is DSanders, but because he was one thing in TB, doesn’t mean he’ll be the same in NE, with different coaches, a different system, a better chance to win and playing for a contract. Yes, Dennard may have been a 2nd rnd pick, but Talib was a 1rst with NFL experience. To say they’re comparable is silly.

    All I know is the Pats did the same thing with Talib they did with TLaw, their last big, physical corner. Put him on an island against the 2nd receiver and double the #1. Balti couldn’t move the ball in the AFC Championship game when Talib was in there.

    Lastly, tagging a guy with baggage is what you WANT to do, instead of signing long term for guaranteed money. I thought the Pats should have done it this yr, but they correctly gauged the market and got him cheaper. Hope that clears things up for you.

  51. Rondo is 26, Bradley is 22, Green is 26, Sullinger is 20, those are their best players yeah they’re pretty young Pierce and KG will be gone soon and they’ll have a lot more money yes they’ll be fine. The fact that you say Papi is there best player shows you know nothing about the Sox

    And, the Pats will be fine hater they have plenty of talent behind Brady you must not know much about Boston teams other than the fact that you just don’t like them like the rest if the haters on here. Go to bed you don’t know what your talking about your just hating haha.

  52. Bradley, Green and Sullinger? That’s what your bragging about? Wow, I didn’t know you had those guys. Who again? That too funny. Oh, Rondo too. The whole league is worried about him leading a team to a championship. Btw, what is he 5’11”? Your gonna have to come up with more than one little guy with a fake behind the back move in today’s N.B.A. Your right I’ll go to bed. I can sleep better now knowing you got your starting five all set .

  53. I like the Pats a lot, but there’s just something fishy about Kraft/Belichek giving up a 4th for half a season of a guy, who then turns around and takes a 1 year deal for a very reasonable price.

    Methinks just maybe Brady and Talib have cushy jobs waiting for them at Dad’s auto dealership when they retire.

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