Patriots acquire CB Aqib Talib and a 7th round pick for a 4th round pick

[Patriot Pride]

Like the trade.

Adds a needed boost to the talent in our secondary and BB might have been targeting him in next years FA class anyways.

[hugepatsfan]

I think this has the potential to really pan out. If he gets his head on straight, this could be more than a short term fix. He's a legit CB when his mind is right - one worth paying a decent amount IMO.

[Austeezy]

Arrington's replacement!

[Donjamin]

I personally love this trade. Time will tell if it pans out. Here's to hoping he can help stop a nose bleed!

[subroc]

Does anyone know if the Patriots can even bring Aqib Talib into the facility until his 4 game suspension is complete? Can he work out? Can he practice with the team? Is it only games that are affected?

[Kucka]

I am sure the Patriots are fully aware of their situation. But, on the other hand, you may not be. Assuming the Patriots miss the play-offs and who knows if they will or not, that pick, on a draft trade chart, is worth 62 points. The 7th they get back is worth maybe 8. They need a corner for this year. He is available. If they have to let him walk next year due to an unreasonable contract expectation, they will and won’t think another thing about it. The Patriots are a team that cuts players they owe draft picks on and money to all the time. It is a cost of doing business. That 4th round pick doesn’t even register a blip on the radar.

As far as the closing window and win now comment, have you been paying attention to their draft the last couple years? This is a team whose window may just be starting to open, never mind closing. They have completely retooled several key positions with very good youthful players. Their rebuilding process is almost complete never mind window closing. As far as win now, every team wants to win now.

If the Patriots let Talib walk next year and don't win a SB we essentially give away a 4th rounder, which is a "blip on the radar" considering the Patriots drafting philosophy. It doesn't matter if Belichick is too cocky to care about letting a player walk, it still has an impact on the team.

And the window is closing, we are going to lose Brady in the next couple of years who will probably be followed by Belichick. I don't care how much "good young talent" we draft you're going to lose a HOF QB and a HOF HC.

[bagwell368]

Can someone explain how adderall is a performance enhancing drug? I'm looking at drugs.com and it shows it treats for ADHD & narcolepsy I know the NFL bans it but is enhancing drug? Someone please explain? Thanks

To people that don't need it - the effect is like speed. It's quite a common drug on the black market for just that purpose.

[bagwell368]

He's not on roids, it wouldn't help a corner, they don't need extra bulk, and its not like he has gotten huge just recently, been 205 since college.

'Roids are not going to automatically make someone bulky. A careful mix of roids and HGH can make someone very strong, and larger, but not to the level of a Hulk cartoon - or even close.

[bagwell368]

Adderall is considered a performance enhancer because it help you gain and stay focused. Whether that is a big advantage, who knows? But that is why it's considered a performance enhancer.

No. IT only helps you stay focused when you have ADHD. In that case the speed like characteristics help that person slow down and focus. To regular folks, it acts like speed.

I work with troubled teens in state care that almost always have a list of one to five or more drugs that they are on. Two of them have been nabbed for selling ADHD meds (one Adderall). People buy it because it's readily available speed.

[bagwell368]

For BB a 4th rounder could be a OG or ILB or RB. A piece, not a star.

This is clearly a move for the playoffs. If Talib is average for him starting in week 14 onward and the bye weeks does what is expected (injuries healed, schemes repaired and added too) than prepare for a 7-1 or 8-0 run - and a first round bye if not AFC top seed.

Pitt, Denver, and Houston would seem to be the teams to deal with to get to the SB. Today I'd say we are over 45% likely to get there.

[sdceltsfan]

Adderall is a government approved amphetamine, basically. For a normal person, it is just that; get's you a little riled up/super focused (you can drink like a fish on it....maybe he took one before hitting up a club?).

For someone with ADHD, who it is prescribed to, it stimulates the part of the brain that causes their lack of focus, so they can pay attention to crap they are doing.

Often used with college students as a study drug.....hardly a performance enhancer....I'd imagine that it would severely dehydrate someone who didn't need it, if they were playing a sport like football on it.

So, tell us something we already didn't know. Like half of the players in the NFL, Aquib Tailb likes to party. But unlike half the players in the league, he is among the top talent at his position.....one that the Patriots happen to suck at, big-time.

4th Rounder that would likely barely make the team, is worth an end of season/playoff push trial run of adding such talent to our defense. Between Talib/McCourty, we may have a top-5 CB combination on our hands all of a sudden. Huge turnaround. He is a hard hitter, who is feared, and a pick-6 machine.

BB couldn't have smelled the coffee any better, in recognizing the absolute need to take this "risk"

[holywack17]

He's not on roids, it wouldn't help a corner, they don't need extra bulk, and its not like he has gotten huge just recently, been 205 since college.

'Roids are not going to automatically make someone bulky. A careful mix of roids and HGH can make someone very strong, and larger, but not to the level of a Hulk cartoon - or even close.

Right but what I'm saying is there is no reason really at all for a corner to use steroids. They need to be adequately strong, but not over powering, too much muscle mass would hurt a corner in his playing ability. The benefit gained from steroids at the cb position would be minimal, if any IMO. It's usually linebackers and Dlineman who use steroids. HGH on the other hand, can help injury recovery significantly , hence it is more widespread among positions.

[RaginRondo17]

To people that don't need it - the effect is like speed. It's quite a common drug on the black market for just that purpose.

Blah, no worse than chugging a couple energy drinks. What college student hasn't taken a couple adderall, to study all night/get that paper done. The thing that concerns me is that, adderall can be used to mask PEDs. But I am hopeful this will work out well.

[Superdude]

Everytime I see that we traded fro Talib it makes me giddy

[subroc]

If the Patriots let Talib walk next year and don't win a SB we essentially give away a 4th rounder, which is a "blip on the radar" considering the Patriots drafting philosophy. It doesn't matter if Belichick is too cocky to care about letting a player walk, it still has an impact on the team.

And the window is closing, we are going to lose Brady in the next couple of years who will probably be followed by Belichick. I don't care how much "good young talent" we draft you're going to lose a HOF QB and a HOF HC.

Well, everything has risk. Your characterizing it as a big risk is a bit much. Look, to be competitive sometimes risks have to be taken and trades to bring players from another team have costs. You give nothing, you get nothing in return. As far as the value (big or small) of that risk, that is where we differ. For want of a better method we will use a value chart. A team has some draft value for their picks. The team that wins the SB will have about 1067 draft value points, the team that finishes last has 4043. In the case of the Patriots who last year finished in 31st position (who knows where they finish this year) their draft value was 1089. The value of those 4th, 5th, and 6th round selections they owe others is about 90 points. That is less than 10% of their total draft value. In the grand scheme of things, for a team that has replenished its core with a significant amount of youth the past few years it doesn’t appear to be a significant number, at least in my view.

Every decision has an impact on the team.

Back to the window, I believe BB is positioning this team for the long haul. He has infused youth into virtually every position. Will BB or Tom Brady be easily replaced? Of course not. They will never be replaced. But, that 4th round pick isn’t the thing that will or will not hold that window open or allow it to close.