Trading for Aqib Talib was the Right Move

Entering their bye week the Patriots sported a 5-3 record and with the best offense in the NFL, they are on the short list of serious Super Bowl contenders.

The problem that the Patriots have is their pass defense.  Their poor play against the pass was the deciding factor in their Super Bowl XLVI loss to the Giants this past February and in two of their three losses this year, their opponent has been able to march down the field and score at the end of the game through the air.

Knowing this was his team's weakness, Bill Belichick yesterday traded a fourth round pick in the 2013 Draft to Tampa Bay in exchange for cornerback Aquib Talib and a seventh round choice in the 2013 Draft.  Talib, who will miss the Patriots next game against Buffalo as a part of a four game suspension for violating the NFL substance abuse policy, will instantly become the team's best cornerback.

The Talib move does not instantly guarantee that the Patriots secondary will become one of the league's best - I'm not sure if Deion Sanders in his prime could do that at this point - but he is better than anyone currently on the roster and his addition strengthens their biggest area of weakness, which makes this move a no brainer.

There has been some criticism of the trade.  Some people say that the Patriots gave up too much with the price of a fourth round draft pick.  I wonder if these are the same people who criticize Belichick's struggles in the draft.  Others have looked at Talib's past issues with the law and asked how that fits the "Patriot Way." 

My response to the criticism is that if Belichick thinks Talib is worth the price of a fourth round pick than he is worth the price of a fourth round pick.  Of their last six fourth round picks dating back to 2006 (they did not have fourth round picks in 2011 or 2012 and they had two such selections in 2006), the only impact players they drafted were Aaron Hernandez and Stephen Gostkowski.  I understand they are important pieces of this team but the other guys taken in that round are Rich Ohrnberger (2009), Jonathan Wilhite (2008), Kareem Brown (2007), and Garrett Mills (2006).  The point is that there is no guarantee that they player they could have drafted - or who the Buccaneers will draft - will ever make an impact in the NFL. 

The opportunity to improve the secondary, with a legitimate shot at winning a Super Bowl on the line, was worth the price.  It's also worth adding a player with a troubled past.  As long as he stays out of trouble and plays well - and he's a free agent at season's end with an increased profile being traded to the Patriots so I bet he's on his best behavior - he can help the Patriots.  It's no sure thing that they hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February but it's a sign that Belichick thinks that is a possibility and adding Talib helps put the Pats on the path to New Orleans.