Taken from the Offseason thread:
The franchise tag for cornerbacks was $10.85M in 2013. That number may rise slightly as the Revis contract ($16M) signed in 2013 will affect the calculation.
The highest cap hits for CBs in 2013 were Revis ($16M), Cortland Finnegan ($15M), Jonathan Joseph ($11.25M), Champ Bailey ($10.75M) and Joe Haden ($9.08M). None of these players, save Finnegan, is a good comparison to Talib; Revis occupies his own universe, Haden is younger and is working on a prior-CBA rookie deal, Joseph was younger when he signed his deal with Houston and Bailey is at the end of the line and may retire.
Talib is the 3rd highest earning CB in 2013 to hit FA in 2014, following Charles Tillman and Brent Grimes. Of the two, Grimes is more comparable due to age and injury history/questions.
Aqib Talib will be 28 years old during the 2014 season. He has not played a full regular season (16 games) in any season of NFL career. His games played by year:
2008 - 15 (hamstring)
2009 - 15 (suspension)
2010 - 11 (hip)
2011 - 13 (hamstring/knee)
2012 - 10 (suspension/hip)
2013 - 13 (hip)
Suffice to say, the hip is a problem. Unlike some other players who are considered injury prone, Talib really IS prone to hip injuries. If that 2011 injury is at all connected to the hip bone, he's hurt that body part four times in four seasons.
His off-field problems have not been an issue in New England. However, he has an extensive disciplinary record with the NFL and the law and is one (large) off-field screw-up from a lengthy suspension. He has also been suspended four games for what he said was Adderall - so he's one missed testing appointment or failed test from a year-long suspension.
Talib had the second-best raw statistical season of his career in 2013 (more tackles, INTs and PDs in 2009). SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO FILL IN THE ADVANCED STATS, PLEASE. By the eyeball test, he was the best defensive back in the NFL for the first four or five weeks of 2013, playing at an extremely high level when healthy. Even after getting hurt, he continued to play hard and play well, although not to the level of the early season.
And really, that's the Talib Problem in a nutshell. When he's on the field, healthy and well-adjusted...he's a true #1 CB, with size, toughness, smarts and instincts. He can be relied on to limit the best WR in the game. However, how much can be invested in a player who WILL get hurt - and usually at the worst (AFC Championship Game, two years in a row) possible time?
Personally, I am more worried about who covers Anquan Boldin or Demaryius Thomas when Talib has to miss or leave a big game. Once is coincidence, twice is a trend...can the the Patriots afford to gamble a third time?
Super Nomario said:Who's going to cover Demaryius Thomas / A.J. Green / Brandon Marshall / Megatron / etc. if you don't re-sign Talib?
SeoulSoxFan said:
100% agree here. We've seen how the young secondary breaks down with Talib out. He works hard, has been a model citizen, is a genuine #1 with size, and provides great quotes.
NE has never been able to draft a true #1 CB in the draft since Samuel. Talib is worth more to the Pats than perhaps any other team -- pay the man and keep the depth you have with the younger secondary (Dennard & Logan).
The franchise tag for cornerbacks was $10.85M in 2013. That number may rise slightly as the Revis contract ($16M) signed in 2013 will affect the calculation.
The highest cap hits for CBs in 2013 were Revis ($16M), Cortland Finnegan ($15M), Jonathan Joseph ($11.25M), Champ Bailey ($10.75M) and Joe Haden ($9.08M). None of these players, save Finnegan, is a good comparison to Talib; Revis occupies his own universe, Haden is younger and is working on a prior-CBA rookie deal, Joseph was younger when he signed his deal with Houston and Bailey is at the end of the line and may retire.
Talib is the 3rd highest earning CB in 2013 to hit FA in 2014, following Charles Tillman and Brent Grimes. Of the two, Grimes is more comparable due to age and injury history/questions.
Aqib Talib will be 28 years old during the 2014 season. He has not played a full regular season (16 games) in any season of NFL career. His games played by year:
2008 - 15 (hamstring)
2009 - 15 (suspension)
2010 - 11 (hip)
2011 - 13 (hamstring/knee)
2012 - 10 (suspension/hip)
2013 - 13 (hip)
Suffice to say, the hip is a problem. Unlike some other players who are considered injury prone, Talib really IS prone to hip injuries. If that 2011 injury is at all connected to the hip bone, he's hurt that body part four times in four seasons.
His off-field problems have not been an issue in New England. However, he has an extensive disciplinary record with the NFL and the law and is one (large) off-field screw-up from a lengthy suspension. He has also been suspended four games for what he said was Adderall - so he's one missed testing appointment or failed test from a year-long suspension.
Talib had the second-best raw statistical season of his career in 2013 (more tackles, INTs and PDs in 2009). SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO FILL IN THE ADVANCED STATS, PLEASE. By the eyeball test, he was the best defensive back in the NFL for the first four or five weeks of 2013, playing at an extremely high level when healthy. Even after getting hurt, he continued to play hard and play well, although not to the level of the early season.
And really, that's the Talib Problem in a nutshell. When he's on the field, healthy and well-adjusted...he's a true #1 CB, with size, toughness, smarts and instincts. He can be relied on to limit the best WR in the game. However, how much can be invested in a player who WILL get hurt - and usually at the worst (AFC Championship Game, two years in a row) possible time?
Personally, I am more worried about who covers Anquan Boldin or Demaryius Thomas when Talib has to miss or leave a big game. Once is coincidence, twice is a trend...can the the Patriots afford to gamble a third time?