5 possible cap casualties the 49ers should target in 2018
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Cornerback Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos
2018 Cap Hit: $12,000,000
Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann of Mile High Report broke down an interesting piece describing how the Denver Broncos might be moving on from veteran and five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib this offseason.
And Talib, according to Altitude 950, didn’t seem to be surprised by the idea either:
QUOTABLE: "Nothing would surprise me, I'm just going to leave it at that," - Aqib Talib to @VicLombardi on potential changes this offseason to the Broncos
— 92.5 FM - Denver's Altitude Sports Radio (@AltitudeSR) December 26, 2017
Talib’s 86.2 overall rating, per Pro Football Focus, ranked 14th out of 121 cornerbacks. Despite being 31 years old, he’s still playing well enough to earn another contract in 2018. Somewhere, if not Denver.
Sure, his fiery personality and on-field antics might rub some people the wrong way. But he’s also one of the best cover corners in the game.
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Right now, the 49ers have one good outside cornerback, Ahkello Witherspoon. No. 2 corner Dontae Johnson, who struggled in 2017, is a pending free agent and may not be back. The NFL Draft could provide some options, but a player like Talib would be an easy plug-and-play choice.
Especially in coordinator Robert Saleh’s defense, which calls for the ability to match receivers in one-on-one coverage.
Talib excels at that.
Next: 3 trades the 49ers should explore this offseason
So, if he’s made available, the 49ers should seriously consider adding him.