Trying to determine if the Patriots' deal for Talib was worth the risk.
Aqib Talib
Several people the last few days have asked for my opinion on the Patriots' trade for Aqib Talib. They want to know if New England won or lost the deal, if the cornerback will make a difference, and if he does, will it be enough to get this team back to the Super Bowl.
Here's my short answer: I don't know. The only thing I do know is it was a risk worth taking, but I don't know if it will pay off in the end. And neither does anyone else.
In this world of instant analysis, where it doesn't matter what you said, only what statement was made most recently, I know people don't want to hear this. I recently responded similarly to one emailer – saying we need more information before any conclusions are drawn – and was told I was "copping out."
Maybe I am. But I'd rather duck than take an irrational stance – The Patriots replace headache with headache; Talib = Super Bowl – that shouldn't have been uttered in the first place. This situation isn't black and white, and we've yet to see what other colors are going to be splashed across the canvas.
Will Talib pick up the system quickly enough to make an instant impact? If he does, will the Patriots move Devin McCourty to safety? Will Talib stay out of trouble and buy in to what coach Bill Belichick is selling? Has he taken care of himself during his four-game suspension for testing positive for Adderall?
Based on pedigree, Talib is now the best cover corner on this team, but we need to know the answer to at least a few of those questions before any kind of meaningful analysis can be made, especially if it's to determine whether he was worth a fourth-round pick.
Just so we all know the actual cost of the bounty required to acquire Talib, New England has pulled Aaron Hernandez and Asante Samuel out of the fourth round in previous drafts. This gamble wasn't cheap.
But for the sake of argument, let's say the 26-year-old does fly straight and fits in. New England's odds of getting back to the Super Bowl, and perhaps winning it, will be greatly enhanced.
The secondary, which gives up plays of 20 or more yards like a street vendor handing out fliers, is this team's biggest problem. Simply standing pat was a recipe for disaster, so I do believe – even if this situation turns sour – the move had to be made.
I'd rather have the Patriots swing big and miss than not swing at all. The championship window is slowly closing on New England, and it needs to make each season count.
So I guess you can mark me down as being in favor of the deal, however it turns out.