Patriots obtain CB Aqib Talib from Buccaneers
FOXBOROUGH, MASS. (AP)
The
New England Patriots moved to shore up their shaky secondary on
Thursday by obtaining cornerback Aqib Talib from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Patriots traded their fourth-round pick in next
year's draft for the former first-round choice, who is coming off his
second NFL suspension, and a seventh-rounder in 2012.
Talib, who
has 18 interceptions since being taken by Tampa Bay with the 20th pick
in 2008 out of Kansas, will be eligible to play in the Patriots' next
game on Nov. 11 after serving a four-game suspension for violating the
league's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
He said at
the time of the suspension that he took an Adderall pill without a
prescription ''around the beginning of training camp.'' He also was
suspended without pay for the regular-season opener in 2010 and fined
one additional game check for violating the NFL's personal-conduct
policy. That penalty resulted from an altercation with a St. Petersburg
cab driver during training camp in August 2009.
He also had
charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Texas dropped a
week before he was due to be tried for allegedly firing a gun at his
sister's boyfriend.
New
England (5-3) enters its bye week having allowed the fifth most yards
passing in the NFL. It has been especially vulnerable to the big play,
most recently on a 50-yard touchdown pass by Sam Bradford on the St.
Louis Rams opening drive last Sunday in London. The Patriots went on to
win 45-7.
Cornerback Devin McCourty gave up several long
completions, then was moved to safety the past two games where starters
Steve Gregory and Patrick Chung were sidelined. Another starting
quarterback, Kyle Arrington, left the Rams game with a head injury.
''The
thing we talk about is to stay the course, try to improve,'' Patriots
cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer said Thursday. ''We need to get better.
Things that we've done well, let's keep doing well and just stay the
course and try to get better today.''
In 58 games, 45 of them
starts, Talib has returned three interceptions for touchdowns. Two of
them came on his only interceptions last year.
In another move
Thursday, the Patriots signed wide receiver Jarred Fayson to the
practice squad. He was released by Indianapolis on Aug. 28 after having
been on the practice squad from last Nov. 22 to the end of the season.
Patriots Release Moore:
The
practice squad spot opened on Wednesday when the Patriots released
tight end Alex Silvestro. In other moves Wednesday, they re-signed
linebacker Mike Rivera and Derrick Martin and released defensive back
Sterling Moore.
Patriots
Roster
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