NFL Rumors: Carolina Panthers Could Acquire Aqib Talib

Aqib Talib is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and there are quite a few teams that could use a player of his caliber. He was instrumental in the Denver Broncos’ run to a Super Bowl win last season.

According to a report from Dianna Russini of ESPN, the Broncos are willing to listen to trade offers for Talib.

The Denver Broncos are making Aqib Talib available for a trade for the right price per multiple sources.

— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) September 3, 2016

Needless to say, this piece of news is shocking and will garner a lot of interest from around the league. Denver may be tired of dealing with the attitude that Talib brings with the talent he possesses. He is the type of player that can completely change a game, but the headaches off the field are not worth the success that he can help bring.

Last season with the Broncos, Talib ended up recording 45 tackles to go along with three interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, and 13 defensed passes. Those numbers are certainly enough to intrigue other teams.

At 30-years-old, Talib still has a few years left on his contract following the 2016 season. His contract status will help improve trade interest in Talib from around the NFL. There is no telling which teams will show interest, although there are a few that would be ideal fits for him.

Josh Hill of FanSided.com opined that the Carolina Panthers should make a play for Talib in trade talks.

After losing Josh Norman this past offseason, the Panthers are in major need of finding defensive back help. Talib may not fill the role that Norman had for the Panthers last season completely, but he could come very close. Outside of Talib, there are very few cornerbacks around the league that could fill the hole that the Panthers’ defense currently has.

There is no telling what the Broncos are looking for from a trade value perspective. They are not going to deal Talib just to make a move, but if the right price is offered they will pull the trigger.

Denver had one of the most impressive defenses that the NFL has seen in quite some time last year. They had a perfect balance of pass rushing, playmaking, and toughness. Talib brought playmaking and toughness to the field and despite some of his poor attitude qualities, was a great leader for the Broncos.

Carolina is still widely viewed as one of the favorites in the NFC. They will have to compete with teams like the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, and Seattle Seahawks, but they are still going to be a very big threat in their conference.

Cam Newton and the offense is set and should take a big step forward in 2016. If they can stay healthy, they will be able to take a lot of pressure off of the Panthers’ defense.

Ron Rivera may not necessarily need another cornerback to be successful this season, but adding a piece like Talib would give them a much better chance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4vL6wiGpyc

It will be interesting to see whether the Broncos find the right deal for Talib. They may end up keeping their star corner throughout the entire 2016 season. There is also the chance that they will trade him within the next 24 hours.

At this point in time, it has become clear that the Broncos know they will go through a bit of a rebuilding stage. Losing both Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler has set Denver back a bit. They will still be competitive in the AFC, although they aren’t Super Bowl favorites, to say the least.

Talib is likely the most valuable player on the trade market heading into the regular season, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Panthers place a call to John Elway to see if there is a deal to be had.

Do you think the Carolina Panthers should try to acquire Aqib Talib from the Denver Broncos? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!

[Photo by Reed Hoffmann/AP Photo]