Patriots Rumors: New England could be interested in Aqib Talib
By Nick Ziegler
Recent Patriots rumors are that the team might look to reunite with cornerback Aqib Talib if the Denver Broncos release him.
With the NFL offseason here, some Patriots rumors are starting circulate about what their offseason plan will be. As teams begin to look at their salary cap situation, one of the first things they do is cut players that have high salaries in order to create some cap space.
One of the players that could be a cap casualty this offseason is Aqib Talib of the Denver Broncos. Talib is set to make $11 million next season, and for a Broncos team that needs money, he could be a cap casualty at 32-years-old.
Recently, Sportingnews.com predicted some players that will likely be cap casualties. Talib was on the list, and they also mentioned that his two former teams could be landing spots if he is released. Here’s what they had to say.
"Talib turned 32 this week, and Denver needs to cut him in order to save a good chunk of salary-cap space. Look for one of his former teams, New England or Tampa Bay, to be his next landing spot."
Even though the Broncos had a down season last year, Talib was still one of the best cornerbacks in the league. According to Pro Football Focus, Talib was graded as the 15th best cornerback in the league, as he clearly still has a lot of game.
The Broncos looking to move on from Talib could be an indication that they are looking to go into a bit of a rebuild and try to get younger. Paying a 32-year-old cornerback over $10 million is certainly a steep price, and the Broncos might not be willing too.
For the Patriots, they know how good Talib is from his time in New England, and they will likely have a need at the cornerback position. Due to Malcolm Butler being a free agent that is almost certainly on his way out, the Patriots could pair Talib across from Stephon Gilmore and have one of the best duos in the league once again.
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The Broncos will obviously have to release Talib for the Patriots to have a shot at him. However, them being interested in the cornerback certainly makes sense.