Aqib Talib is a hero in New England. The leader of the Patriots secondary, the cornerback is having one of the better seasons of his career. He is doing all of it in the final year of his contract. This is a pretty good season for Talib to put up big numbers as he will be looking for a fresh deal come February, but will it be with the Patriots?
Recently the Patriots game linebacker Rob Ninkovich a three-year contract extension, but that has been the only contract news for the team. Many question whether they are hesitant to give players bigger deals after issues with both Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski who both had and have a lot invested in them. So where does this leave Talib?
There is no doubting that the Patriots need Talib for years to come. The issue is the Patriots have not placed a lot of value on players in their secondary positions. Both Ty Law and Asante Samuel left the team after the Patriots were unwilling to offer them a bigger contract. With the type of year Talib is having, he will expect a large pay day.
Currently, the cornerback leads the NFL with four interceptions on the season. On Sunday night, he shut down Julio Jones, one of the best receivers in the league. He is putting together an MVP-style season. However, a checkered past could hurt his contract talks, especially with the Patriots. While he is a model citizen now and a necessity to the team, past episodes might have New England looking elsewhere.
Quarterback Tom Brady is well-aware of what Talib brings to the field in both ability and leadership. Despite past issues, Brady praises the veteran for his character in the locker room and influence on teammates.
"I love having Aqib on the team. I go against him every day. I know how hard it is," Brady said, via the Boston Herald. "He's really got a unique combination of size and speed and ability to play the ball in the air. His length is such that I know when I throw the ball in practice . . . he's just so hard to throw over the top of because of his reach, his wingspan, his ability to play the ball at the highest point."
As of now Talib is playing on a one-year deal. He has expressed his love for New England and the scheme the team runs. With the pass-heavy offenses taking shape, Talib's value is big. The Patriots would be wise to lock him down now before he has a chance to consider free agency. They currently have the cap space so fans will just have to wait and see.
