HEADLINES

Aqib Talib

Extra Points: Tillman, Talib, Los Angeles, Peterson

April 8th, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes from around the league as we wrap up this Wednesday night…

  • Former Bears cornerback Charles Tillman visited the Panthers earlier this evening, reports ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson (via Twitter). The reporter notes that the two sides have yet to discuss a contract.
  • Rebecca Lopez of WFAA-TV in Dallas reports (via Twitter) that Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib is being investigated for aggravated assault earlier this morning. The 29-year-old’s brother, Yaqub, is also being investigated by police. According to ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, the pair were questioned by police early Wednesday, but no one was arrested.
  • Addressing a rumor going around, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) dismisses the notion that the Eagles have any real interest in acquiring Johnny Manziel. According to Cole, the Browns tossed out the idea in a conversation with Philadelphia, but it didn’t gain any traction. Of course, Cleveland also reportedly offered the Eagles a first-round pick for Sam Bradford.
  • In an extensive and interesting piece, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times examines nine potential outcomes for an NFL move to Los Angeles, including scenarios in which multiple teams relocate and scenarios in which just one of the Rams, Chargers, or Raiders makes the move.
  • The NFL submitted it’s appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court regarding Adrian Peterson, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). Once it’s filed, the NFL Player’s Association will have 14 days to respond. As Pelissero notes (via Twitter), the appeal “has more to do with precedent than Peterson,” adding that the running back could realistically be reinstated regardless of the outcome.
  • Count Reggie Bush among those who are rooting for Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne to make the 49ers. The running back expressed his confidence to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “I’m sure he’ll make it, I don’t think there’s any doubt in anybody’s mind he’ll make the roster,” Bush said. “He has all the talents and athleticism to be able to play in this league and to be able to play at a high level in this league…I think making the team is actually the least of his worries.”

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Broncos Notes: Manning, Fox, Talib

January 11th, 2015 at 9:37pm CST by Rob DiRe

In the wake of the Broncos 24-13 loss to the Colts tonight, questions regarding Peyton Manning‘s future began to surface. Manning himself was non-committal about returning in 2015, according to Burt Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter). “I need to process this game, and we’ll meet tomorrow,” said Manning.

Here are some other rumors after the Broncos elimination:

  • Manning is set to make $19MM in 2015, and for that reason Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com believes he will be back next year (via Twitter). At the same time, he notes that his colleague Marc Sessler has thought Manning could retire after the season since September.
  • Manning’s full salary will be guaranteed on the last day of the league year in March, reports Joel Corry of the National Football Post (via Twitter). If he retires, Denver will have a $5MM in dead money on its 2015 cap.
  • The Broncos will save $16.5MM if they move on from Manning this offseason, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).
  • Money aside, Aaron Nagler of SI Now wonders if Manning would even want to start over again if head coach John Fox is fired and offensive coordinator Adam Gase finds employment elsewhere this offseason (via Twitter).
  • Despite those reports that Fox’s job was on the line today, the Broncos head coach was adamant about staying with the team, according to Around the NFL (via Twitter). “My intentions are to be a Denver Bronco,” said Fox.
  • Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com notes that with the Broncos out of the playoffs, Gase and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio are now available to sign as head coaches elsewhere right away (via Twitter). The Raiders have been interested in Del Rio, and Gase has drawn interest from a number of teams.
  • As he did upon the Cowboys’ loss to the Packers earlier, Field Yates of ESPN looks into some important offseason decisions facing the Broncos (ESPN Insider Link). Among the most important free agents, Yates writes the team needs to bring back Demaryius Thomas and Terrance Knighton, make a decision on Julius Thomas, and add to their offensive line and linebacking crews.
  • Corry also notes that the team could move on from oft-injured cornerback Aqib Talib, who has a cap number of $7MM in 2015 (via Twitter). That will leave $4MM in dead money on Denver’s cap sheet.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com put together a list of the Broncos free agents heading into this offseason and their current average salaries, and also addresses some salary cap and contract issues that the team will face with or without their quarterback..

East Notes: Talib, Patriots, Jets, Hall

October 31st, 2014 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

With the AFC East-leading Patriots set to host the AFC West-leading Broncos this weekend, it’s the latest chapter in the ongoing Tom Brady/Peyton Manning rivalry, but there are a few other subplots at play. One of them involves Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib, who was a Patriot last year, but signed a huge deal with the Broncos in the offseason and will be playing on the other side of the rivalry this time around. Here’s a round-up of East-related links, including a note on Talib:

  • Speaking to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, Talib says he “relished” his time in New England and came close to re-signing with the Patriots last spring. “It was a negotiation, and it came down to the language of the contracts,” Talib said. “I just went with what I feel was best with me and my family. I can’t remember the logistics and everything. It wasn’t bad at all. The offer wasn’t bad.”
  • In advance of Sunday’s showdown, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com takes a look at the differences between how the Patriots and Broncos built their current rosters.
  • With the 2015 free agent market for quarterbacks not likely to yield any long-term solutions, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News explores the Jets‘ potential options for signal-callers in next year’s draft.
  • After tearing his Achilles tendon last month and undergoing surgery to repair it, Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall tore it again and will have to go back under the knife, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Although Hall is still expected to be ready for training camp in 2015, the re-injury will make his recovery more challenging, and it raises some questions about his future in Washington, according to Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com.

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Hughlett, Chargers

October 18th, 2014 at 2:03pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Broncos were expected to be one of the best teams in the NFL coming into the season after winning the AFC in 2013. They brought back most key components of a record-breaking offense, but the difference this year is on the defensive side of the ball, writes ESPN Insider Aaron Schatz.

The newfound strength of the defense has been with a few offseason additions. The team signed Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward, and DeMarcus Ware, and selected Bradley Roby in the first round of the NFL Draft. The defense has been far improved with these new players.

Here are some other words from around the AFC West:

  • The Broncos have a big list of impending free agents, leading to questions about how long their window to win a championship will be open. Mike Klis of the Denver Post is not overly worried, noting that a number of the free agents are restricted and that the teams will be able to lock up the big pieces like Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas.
  • The Chiefs tried out long snapper Charley Hughlett yesterday, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • The Chargers are favored to beat the Chiefs this weekend, and part of the reason they have been able to succeed is the improvements they made on defense. Two additions in the secondary are big reason for that. First-round pick Jason Verrett has been phenomenal, and former Chief Brandon Flowers has had a career resurgence in San Diego, as Joel Thorman and John Gennaro noted in a Q&A on ArrowPride.com. “The biggest difference between last year’s team and this year’s Chargers is that the secondary went from atrocious to above-average with the additions of Brandon Flowers and Verrett,” said Gennaro.

AFC West Links: Draft, Sumlin, Smith, Broncos

October 3rd, 2014 at 7:42pm CST by Rob DiRe

The league’s decision to hold the 2015 NFL Draft in Chicago dims the hope that Los Angeles will get a team in time for the 2015 season, writes Sam Farmer of the Baltimore Sun. Farmer notes that if the team was planning on relocating a team to Los Angeles, wisdom would dictate that they would pair that move with the relocation of the draft in order to create extra publicity for the team.

The Raiders and Chargers are both on a year-to-year lease with their current stadiums, and are unhappy with their situations. The Raiders have played in Los Angeles before, as have the Rams, who are also a candidate to move.

Here are some other notes from around the NFL:

  • The Raiders should go hard after Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin, opines Mark Whicker of USA Today Sports. Of course, he’s got a pretty good gig right now and he may not want to take on such a massive cleanup project.
  • Alex Smith‘s play with the Chiefs is proving that the 49ers got it wrong on the quarterback, writes Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report. Smith was regarded mostly as a “game-manager” in San Francisco, but many overlooked Smith’s explosive skill set. His potential, however, was likely buried by San Francisco’s conservative system at the time.
  • The Broncos had Brandon LaFell and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on their radar in free agency, but as the market settled they wound up with two different players at those positions, writes Albert Breer of NFL.com. As LaFell’s price tag rose, they realized they could sign Emmanuel Sanders away from the Steelers for only slightly more money. Sanders has far outperformed LaFell so far this season. As for Rodgers-Cromartie, we know that when he turned down the team’s initial offer the Broncos gave the deal to Aqib Talib instead.

 

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Links: Talib, Ravens, Pouncey

September 27th, 2014 at 9:51am CST by Ben Levine

Patriots safety Devin McCourty has a playful rivalry with his brother, Titans cornerback Jason McCourty. Therefore, as the Patriots prepare to take on the Chiefs, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Patriots’ All-Pro defender is looking to top his brother’s production against quarterback Alex Smith. In the Titans’ first game of the season, McCourty picked off Smith twice.

When asked if he’d somehow outdo Jason, Devin sounded optimistic (via Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald). “I hope so,” he said. “You’ve got to tell Alex Smith to throw me the ball.”

Devin acknowledged that he has watched some of his brother’s interceptions to get a read on opposing quarterbacks:

“I always watch every interception a quarterback throws just to get an idea, see if there is a similarity of where it happens and different formations and what they like. I always try to see the turnover opportunities out there as far as throwing the ball, especially if it’s downfield.”

Let’s see what else is happening around the AFC…

  • The NFL was not impressed by Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib‘s late, fourth quarter hit against the Seahawks. According to Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com, the league has fined Talib $8,268.
  • Ravens defensive back Jimmy Smith has been assigned an October 7th court date in regards to his misdemeanor disorderly conduct case, according to Baltimore County police spokesman Shawn Vinson (via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun). Smith is subject to a maximum punishment of 60 days in jail.
  • Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com says the the Jaguars‘ biggest free agent disappointment is linebacker Dekoda Watson. The former Buccaneers draft pick has already had a pair of surgeries and couldn’t earn the starting spot once he returned.
  • However, DiRocco writes that he liked the majority of the Jaguars‘ offseason moves and still hasn’t soured on many of them. Instead, he criticizes the team for failing to sign center Alex Mack.
  • Dolphins center Mike Pouncey was hoping to make his season debut in London against the Raiders, but ESPN.com’s James Walker warns that it’s unlikely. Instead, Walker says it’s more likely that the former Pro-Bowler will make his debut in two weeks following the team’s bye.

Cap Work Remaining For Broncos

July 5th, 2014 at 8:59am CST by Matt Feminis

Until rosters are cut down to 53 players, teams are required to be under the $133MM salary cap with their top 51 salaries. In the wake of an aggressive offseason which included signing big-ticket free agents Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward, DeMarcus Ware and Emmanuel Sanders, the Broncos’ top 51 costs $132MM, meaning John Elway and Co. have some bookkeeping to do between now and the end of training camp, explains ESPN’s Jeff Legwold.

Key points:

  • The team is trying to lock up free agents-to-be Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas long-term.
  • Including rollover, the team has about $4.6MM of workable cap space.
  • “Quarterback Peyton Manning has the team’s highest cap figure, at $17.5 million and the Broncos have the biggest cap gap of any position between starter and backup with No. 2 Brock Osweiler, still on his rookie deal, coming in at $959,094 against the cap.”
  • The team has seven tight ends on the roster, five of which — including Thomas, Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen — are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents in 2015.
  • “Dead money” hits include Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie ($2.1MM), Chris Kuper ($1.83MM) and Willis McGahee ($500k).
  • Terrance Knighton‘s representatives were seeking a renegotiation of his contract which calls for him to make $2.75MM in 2014 before the big defensive lineman hits free agency, but the team did not acquiesce.
  • Kicker Matt Prater and punter Britton Colquitt will cost a combined $7.4MM against the cap this season.

Aqib Talib Falsely Accused Of Public Intoxication

June 29th, 2014 at 10:52am CST by Rory Parks

10:52am: It’s official. Aqib Talib’s brother, Yaqub, was arrested, not Aqib himself. Major Geron, who initially tweeted the arrest, has corrected his mistake and issued an apology (via Twitter). And the city of Denver heaves a collective sigh of relief.

10:41am: The Dallas Police Department has yet to amend its statement that Yaqub Talib, and not Aqib Talib, is the individual currently held at the city’s processing center, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. According to a rather confident tweet from Pro Football Talk, Dallas PD does not have Aqib in custody. One confusing factor in all of this is that Synn, the nightclub where the alleged incident took place, was said to be hosting an “Official NFL Camp After Party” last night, according to Robert Wilonsky of The Dallas Morning News. Several other NFL players were reportedly in attendance. It could be that the Talib brothers were there together, but that is just speculation at this point. As of right now, all signs indicate that the Dallas PD made a (rather egregious) mistake. Stay tuned.

10:18am: Perhaps what looked to be a major story is instead a non-story. According to Pro Football Talk, Talib’s agent, Todd France, says that Talib’s brother, Yaqub Talib, was the individual arrested in Dallas this morning (Twitter link).

10:06am: New Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was arrested at a Dallas night club at approximately 1:45 this morning, tweets Major Max Geron of the Dallas Police Department. Geron adds that Talib was arrested for public intoxication as he was throwing bottles, causing a disturbance and creating a danger to himself and others.

Recent Signings Facing Former Teams In 2014

April 23rd, 2014 at 9:13pm CST by Rob DiRe

The 2014 NFL schedule has been released, and it gives us an interesting chance to see some players face their former teammates for the first time. Some of these players were traded or otherwise unwanted by their former teams, and others spurned their hometown fans for greener pastures elsewhere. In all cases, there are some fans or players who must be licking their chops to finally treat these players in their new colors as enemies for the first time.

The following players will get the chance to play against their former teams in 2014:

  • Matt Schaub will either get a chance to show up his replacement in Week 2, or possibly hope to avoid getting tormented by Jadeveon Clowney when the Texans visit the Raiders on September 14th (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • DeSean Jackson would love a chance to show the world the Eagles made a mistake, and he will return to Philadelphia for Week 3 on September 21st (1:00 EST, FOX). Jackson will get a second chance on Saturday, December 20th (4:30 EST, NFL Network/CBS).
  • Branden Albert got see Tamba Hali and Justin Houston in practice for years. He will get them in a game for the first time when the Dolphins host the Chiefs on September 21st (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • Julius Peppers can wreak some havoc in a new system in his former stadium when the Packers visit the Bears on September 28th (1:00 EST, FOX). Peppers will get a second chance in Green Bay on November 9th in primetime (8:30 EST, NBC).
  • Steve Smith told the fans to “Put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere,” when he signed with the Ravens. Well have your goggles ready for Week 4, when the Ravens host the Panthers on September 28th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Alex Smith didn’t get to see Jim Harbaugh last year, but will finally get his shot to go after his former coach when the Chiefs travel to face the 49ers on October 5th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Eric Decker will get to watch Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ offense churn on without him when the Broncos play the Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 12th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Brandon Spikes will have to be prepared for the Patriots after a contentious offseason, as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have been known to pick on players before. The Bills host the Patriots on October 12th (1:00 EST, CBS) and travel to New England on December 28th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Darrelle Revis will get to feast on a passing offense that struggled in 2013, and will likely invite Eric Decker to Revis Island when the Patriots host the Jets on Thursday Night Football on October 16th (8:25 EST, CBS/NFL Network). Revis will then get to return to a stadium filled with jeering fans on December 21st (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Jared Veldheer seemingly couldn’t leave Oakland quick enough, and the Raiders will host his Cardinals on October 19th (4:25 EST, FOX).
  • Jason Hatcher had a career season with the Cowboys in 2013, and now returns to a 3-4 defense hoping to build upon his great season against his former team when the Redskins head to Dallas for Monday Night Football on October 27th (8:30 EST, ESPN). His second meeting with the Cowboys will be in Week 17, when the Redskins host their rivals on December 28th (1:00 EST, FOX).
  • Aqib Talib took the money to switch from the AFC runner up to the AFC champion, and he will take part in his third Brady-Manning matchup, his first as a Bronco, on November 2nd (4:25 EST, CBS).
  • Hakeem Nicks looked like he hated playing with the Giants in 2013, and this is his chance at revenge after feeling mistreated by the Giants organization and fans when the Colts visit MetLife Stadium for Monday Night Football on November 3rd (8:30 EST, ESPN).
  • Jared Allen gets to tee off against the Vikings offensive line he has been practicing against for the past six years, and for the first time since 2007 will finally get to share the field with Adrian Peterson on November 16th when the Bears host the Vikings (1:00 EST, FOX). Allen will head back to Minnesota on December 28th (1:00, FOX).
  • Lovie Smith gets his shot to beat the team that fired him, and will bring former Bear Josh McCown with him to move the football against a no longer feared Bears defense on November 9th (1:00 EST, FOX).
  • Mike Pettine left the Bills to coach the Browns, and will have to return to Buffalo on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Michael Johnson left the Bengals to be the featured pass rusher for the Buccaneers, and he will get his chance to beat Andrew Whitworth and the Bengals offensive line to get a hit on Andy Dalton on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Rodger Saffold can show the Raiders exactly how healthy he is after the team signed him to a huge money deal and subsequently failed him on his physical, voiding the deal. The Rams host the Raiders on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
  • Henry Melton got hurt after receiving the franchise tag by the Bears, and will get a chance to prove he is still an effective player when the Cowboys visit the Bears for Thursday Night Football on December 4th (8:25 EST, NFL Network).
  • Chris Johnson will get to face the Titans for the first time, as he tries to show the team he still has some miles left on his tires when the Jets go to Tennessee on December 14th (4:05 EST, CBS).

Aqib Talib On Broncos, New Deal, CBA

March 20th, 2014 at 8:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The defending AFC Champions made it clear this offseason that they weren’t content to rest on their laurels heading into 2014. Denver turned heads with their signing of former Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib, a move that they hope will help bring their defense closer to the level of their stellar offense. Earlier today, Talib sat down with Sports Illustrated’s Peter King to talk about his big move..

On whether Talib had an offer from the Patriots that tempted him to stay:

“I definitely had an offer from the Patriots. But there was language in there that definitely was a little shaky compared to Denver’s offer. The Patriots are a great organization. I loved my time there. I loved playing for Bill. He’s a great leader. I’ll be able to tell my kids I played for Bill Belichick someday and I was Tom Brady’s teammate. Really, it’s just a dream I’m experiencing, when two great organizations want you like this.”

On whether he’s concerned that it’ll be easy for the Broncos to get out of his six-year, $54MM halfway through it:

“I don’t really get into that part of the business too much, how much of a contract is guaranteed and whether I’ll make it all the way through. I hope I stay here for six years. Hopefully I see all six years, because that means I’m playing well. But for me, I just come and play as hard as I can. It’s the same for me, thinking about this season, as it was last year, when I was in the last year of my contract. As a player, I don’t think you can worry about that too much.”

On what the offseason’s big-money signings say to him about the labor agreement:

“Now we’re seeing the good part of this CBA. You can see the CBA is working well for the players right now. The first couple of years, there were other things about the deal the players liked—the limited padded practices, training camp being easier on the players, players having more of an offseason. But now the cash part of the CBA is coming into view, and it’s good to see. I don’t know the exact rules, but when the cap goes up now, the owners have to spend more of the cap money than they did before. [Collectively, NFL teams must spend 95% of available cap money between 2013 and 2016, or the players’ association can take the unspent amount and distribute it to players.] I think the league is better off when the players are getting rewarded like this.”

Load More Posts