The Broncos are expected to put veteran cornerback Aqib Talib on the trading block, according to a report from 9News.com. Talib, who has often found himself in the news for the wrong reasons in his career, has nonetheless enjoyed a terrific run on the field for Denver, but he may be too costly for the Broncos to keep in 2018.
Talib has two years remaining on the six-year, $57MM deal he signed with the Broncos in 2014, and he is set to make $11MM in 2018, his age-32 season. Denver has two younger corners — Chris Harris, Jr. and Bradley Roby — under contract for a combined $17.02MM, and it would like to use some of its CB resources elsewhere.
There should be a good amount of interest in Talib, despite his age. He made the Pro Bowl again in 2017, and he has been a Pro Bowl participant in each of his four years in Denver (including a first-team All-Pro nod in 2016). He tacked on yet another pick-six this past season, giving himself six pick-sixes in his Broncos career. He was also a key member of the Broncos’ terrific defense that catapulted the team to its Super Bowl 50 championship.
It’s fair to wonder, though, if interested teams will simply wait for Talib to be released rather than try to trade for him. Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com says he asked three GMs at this year’s Senior Bowl if they would trade for Talib, and they all said “no” (Twitter link). After all, if the Broncos were to cut Talib, they would take on only $1MM in dead money, meaning that they would still shave $10MM off the books. So, if teams are confident Talib will be available anyway, they will not be as likely to give up draft capital for his services.
Talib has enjoyed success at every stop of his NFL journey, which began when he was selected by Tampa Bay in the first round of the 2008 draft. He was traded to New England in the middle of the 2012 season, and he made his first Pro Bowl in 2013, his only full season with the Patriots.
Buccaneers could really use him.
Cowboys would be a good landing spot
Back to the Patriots.
I think this would be most likely. He won’t want to go to a middle team, not that he’d have much choice, other than retirement.
The Rams seem like a pretty good fit to me…I don’t know their cap situation without looking it up, but Wade Phillips is there and they’re a win-now team with a hole in the secondary (especially if Trumaine Johnson walks).
They have plenty of cap space. I say do it. Sure add an aging CB to the Rams & eat up more of that cap space.
Good riddance.
He needs to retire