Felger & Mazz: What To Expect From Aqib Talib
Felger and Massarotti were joined by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times to discuss the New England Patriots' acquisition of Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner back Aqib Talib.
What are the Pats getting with Talib? Will Talib be able to get past his previous issues and adjust to the "Patriots Way?"
"He can help a football team there's no question about that, if he can stay healthy and stay eligible, which has been a problem," said Stroud. "He's just not a level-headed player. He's had issues, and it's not his talent. He should be a guy that commands top dollar as a corner in the league because he has ability, at times, to take on the number-one receiver on the field and do a good job with him."
Read: Patriots Acquire CB Talib From Tampa For 4th Rd Pick
"Maybe New England will be a good spot for him because he's not going to be an influence on the younger players. That was a concern with the Bucs," said Stroud. "But in that situation with Bill Belichick and the veteran players, this might actually be a good fit for him and New England gets a quality football player."
How should the Pats use Talib to get the absolute best out of him?
"Basically, he's a man-coverage guy. He's a lock-down, 'show me who I got, I'll take him and worry about the rest of the field.' That's really where he thrives. He's capable of doing it against some of the top-flight receivers," said Stroud. "He's flexible enough to roam the whole field. He's a guy that can play any style you want. He's very good man coverage guy, he's an above average tackler. He can be physical when you need him to be… from a football standpoint he's an asset. He's going to help you if he's on the field."
Patriots Blog: Talib Comes To NE With Some Baggage
"He has a short memory, he's going to jump some routes, make some picks and compete all day long. If that's what you need, that's the best way to use him."
