What are your thoughts on the Aquib Talib trade? Will this move be enough to fix the Patriots secondary?
Jason: I met news of the Talib trade with a resounding "meh." There really isn't any fixing this secondary; it's more a matter of bailing out that sinking lifeboat with your hands and hoping it gets close enough to shore that you can swim the rest of the way to safety. Talib seems like the kind of player who has been skating on talent and reputation after his big rookie season. I'm not sure he really fits here.
Stephen: Some may look at the price (a 2013 fourth-round pick) as a high investment in a risky player, but it's a worthy risk considering the Patriots' awful secondary. Talib is a former first-rounder who's shown Pro Bowl talent during his five-year career. He's a player who can turn this defense from average to very good, provided he keeps his head on straight. I can't fault Bill Belichick for trying to address the team's biggest weakness, even if the price was high. Ultimately, I think the trade works out well for both the team and the player, but until the Patriots get better play from their safeties, the pass defense will struggle.
Raj: He just might be enough. Talib just really has to stay out of trouble. Although we've seen players with tough attitudes come to the Patriots before. Coach Belichick knows how to deal with them. He transformed Randy Moss! So I like this trade just as long as Belichick knows what he's doing. After all, In Bill We Trust!
Derek: My person take is that there's no way that Talib can make the secondary worse. When you get lit up on long plays like the Pats did against against Seattle and St. Louis, there's nowhere to go but up. I think a fourth rounder was good value for a player of Talib's caliber. The only way I see this move blowing up in Belichick's face is if Talib continues to be a headcase. Hopefully a clean slate allows him to play up to his potential. In a season where the Patriots are title contenders with one glaring weakness, I feel that this was a justifiable "win now" move that may help bring the Lombardi back to Foxboro.
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