Stop Freaking Out About Aqib Talib
Yes, we understand some of you are angry the Green Bay Packers didn’t try to acquire cornerback Aqib Talib from the Denver Broncos. The suddenly busy Los Angeles Rams have agreed to acquire Talib from the Broncos in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
Rams are expected to trade a 2018 fifth-round pick to Broncos for CB Aqib Talib, per source. https://t.co/y5eQAfOErx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2018
A small price to pay, right? Certainly one the Packers could afford, right?
Not if you pay any attention to the other ramifications.
First and foremost, Talib is due $11 million this year, a salary the Rams will now have to pay as a result of the trade. The Packers couldn’t afford that. Not without making a number of other moves or releasing a player with a substantial contract. Green Bay is only $15 million or so under the salary cap, according to NFLPA numbers released earlier this week. They’re going to give $11 million of that to Talib?
No. Not possible.
Second, Talib is 32 and while he’s still solid, he’s also probably a one-year rental. Although he’s under contract for 2019, that season of the contract would pay him $8 million. The Packers, as the Rams likely will, would employ Talib for a year and then release him. He’s on the downside of his career and we don’t know too many cornerbacks getting $8 million per season when they’re 32.
Third, Talib, to some degree, seemed to dictate his destination. The Packers were not among the chosen teams.
Aqib Talib wanted to play for Wade Phillips in LA or Bill Belichick in New England; idea of playing elsewhere was not something he found desirable. This helped dictate trade to Rams.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2018
Talib had his best seasons when Wade Phillips — now the Rams’ defensive coordinator — was the Broncos’ defensive coordinator and when he played for the New England Patriots from 2012-13.
Interestingly, the Rams also signed former Packers cornerback Sam Shields earlier in the day. We noted then that Shields seemed to have a decent chance to start, along with another trade acquisition, former Kansas City Chief Marcus Peters. Now, the Rams are loaded at cornerback, at least until Shields gets injured.
Perhaps the forgotten man in all of this is Trumaine Johnson, who is going to become a free agent. Johnson is arguably the best of the group, but let’s be clear. The Packers likely won’t be able to afford him either. Based on what we’ve seen with recent top-tier free agent cornerback signings, Johnson could come in around $15-16 million per season.
Hell, if anything, the Packers should take a flyer on Tramon Williams. Even at 34, he had a damn nice season for the Arizona Cardinals in 2017. And he won’t cost much.
The Packers have corner back issue’s going into year 3.
The Rams have corner back issues due to free agency, they seemingly fix them within 2 weeks.
Exactly what I thought while reading this. I believe they used a tag on Joyner and now trade for established vets in talib, peters and sign shields. Meanwhile gb is gonna rely on guys like Goodson and Rollins. lol.
Are they really “fixed” though? On the surface, their moves look really good, instead of paying Trumaine Johnson $15 million, they are paying three top flight guys around that same figure combined. However, there are serious concerns about all three. Shields is like one hit from being a vegetable. Peters and Talib are suspensions waiting to happen. It also sounds like Talib is basically there on a one year deal. We will see how it goes I guess
Seemingly
Nothing is certain in the NFL. However, those guys at least tried to find some pieces and improve. We, on the other hand, traded our best CB (not saying much, though, but he is a mediocre player and our average is well below average). So we still have no clue of how the CB position will be played this year.
Good post MJ.
Looks like the Packers may be going after Sherman. Normally i would be all over that, like 5 years ago. when he was at the height of his game.
He hasn’t played or fully rehabbed his injury yet, so that’s a bit a dice roll where you have to lay your trust in your medical staff. If i had good medicals on him, i might roll the dice for 5 mill, only because of our weak position at corner. But i would hate doing it. Because i think he’s a big mouth prick, but he has some skills.
On the OTHER hand…. my guess is that the Seahawks told him to test the market, tell them the offer, and if everyone’s ok with the #’s, they bring him back at slightly higher than he gets offered and save cash and cap space vs paying him 11 million. Lets be real, he isn’t worth 11 million. I have to respect the Seahawks and Schneider though, when one of their players is overpaid, they actually do something about it.
Just my .02
Painful but true assessments by PF and Mike. It takes us forever to fix a position, and by then, another one needs addressing.
Can’t argue with the previous comments about the Packers tendency to stand pat and pray. We’ve seen this movie every season for the last eight years, but previous releases starred safeties, running backs, inside linebackers and tight ends instead of cornerbacks.
Richard Sherman was released today, maybe take a look at him if the price is right.