Top 5 free agent cornerbacks the Patriots could sign
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The salary cap's precipitous rise to $133 million certainly helps the Pats, bringing them from $3.9 million in projected space to an estimated $12.7 million, but they still don't have the kind of space to make the kind of wild spending spree some fans are asking for. The key to the offseason appears to be retaining and supplementing the core of a 2013 team that had the potential to be something special before injuries gutted the roster.
With that in mind, lets take a look at the top cornerbacks the Pats could target via free agency. The team's depth at corner was a saving grace last year, with rookie Logan Ryan's emergence allowing them to survive a second half stretch with Aqib Talib, Kyle Arrington and Alfonzo Dennard all somewhat hobbled with injuries. However, while Arrington, Dennard and Ryan all are solid players, none of them were up to the task of filling Talib's #1 role in the AFC Championship game when the Pats top corner went down. Talib is set to hit unrestricted free agency March 11 and losing him would be a body blow to a defense that relied on his ability to match-up with the game's best receivers. If they can't keep Talib, they'll certainly need to bring in someone capable of filling that role.
NOTE: I only included players I believe to be at least semi-realistic Patriot targets on this list. That's why several of the bigger names out there (Alterraun Verner, Vontae Davis, Sam Shields, Walter Thurmond III) are missing.
1. Aqib Talib
There is the simple solution to this problem: just re-sign Talib. The case for doing so is obvious. He's been your best cornerback by far ever since coming to New England by a midseason trade in 2012. His ability to cover the league's big, physical receivers makes him a key chess piece for Bill Belichick's defense, something emphatically demonstrated by an incredible four-game stretch against Vincent Jackson, Julio Jones, AJ Green and Jimmy Graham last season. Simply put, there aren't a lot of guys out there who can even attempt to match up with those kind of weapons, let alone shut them down.
With that said, there are some risks involved with making a big-money, multi-year commitment to Talib. Injuries have been a constant in his career, as Pats fans painfully know after seeing him forced out of back-to-back AFC Championship games. Talib is great, but he can't cover top receivers from the sidelines. Talib also has a well-deserved reputation as a hot-head, with several legal issues tarnishing his reputation in Tampa. He's been on his best behavior in New England, but he's also been playing for a contract each of the past two seasons.
Despite those concerns, Talib remains the Patriots' top option, short of trading for Darrelle Revis (which is fun to speculate about, but probably a long-shot). Both the team and player have a comfort level with each other, with Talib praising the Patriots organization on multiple occasions since coming here. The Patriots also seem to love the spark Talib's fiery personality brings to their secondary.
Talib and his agents must be smiling this morning, as the Dolphins re-signed cornerback Brent Grimes to a four year, $32 million deal with $16 million guaranteed. That deal will likely set the market for top level corners, with Talib likely looking for money similar to Grimes' $8 million a year.
2. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
If the Pats can't keep Talib in New England, they'd like to get someone capable of playing his role. At 6'2" and 193 with a knack for press coverage, Rodgers-Cromartie is the closest thing to a Talib clone on the market. Like Talib, Rodgers-Cromartie uses his length and athleticism to combat the league's best receivers. He's one of the few guys out there who could step into Talib's role without much of a hitch.
That's not to say the two players are identical. While both like to play physical in coverage, Talib brings that physicality in his tackling as well, something Rodgers-Cromartie isn't exactly known for. That's one flaw that Bill Belichick wouldn't like, as the Hoodie has always valued tackling from his corners. Rodgers-Cromartie also has a reputation as a bit of a diva, and he reminded the world of that in January when he said he'd consider retirement if Denver won the Super Bowl.
However, one distinct advantage Rodgers-Cromartie has over Talib is durability. He's only missed 4 games in his six year career, far less than the nine Talib has missed in the last two seasons (albeit four of those being an "adderall" suspension). When both are healthy, I'd take Talib, but it's hard to overlook his massive history of injuries at this point.
The Broncos could make this a moot point by re-signing Rodgers-Cromartie before free agency officially hits on March 11. Keeping him is reportedly Denver's top priority this offseason, and Broncos officials reached out to the free agent corner to start negotiations during the scouting combine.
3. Charles "Peanut" Tillman
It will be very interesting to see how teams value Tillman this offseason. On one hand, Tillman's age (33) is very scary for a cornerback, and he spent 2013 battling multiple injuries, including a torn triceps which he's still recovering from. On the other, it was only last year when Tillman was a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate, forcing 10 fumbles with his patented "peanut punch" along with 3 interceptions (all for touchdowns) and 16 passes defensed.
From a Patriots perspective, Tillman would add size (6'2", 198) and playmaking to the secondary. Bill Belichick's defenses have prioritized takeaways in recent years, and Tillman's nose for the football is well-documented. You have to go all the way back to 2006 to find a season with less than three forced fumbles for Tillman, and he's averaged an incredible 4.85 forced fumbles along with 3.1 interceptions per year in that span. While he's played his entire career in Chicago's cover 2 zone-heavy scheme, he's also displayed the versatility to play in any defense.
If Tillman can regain his health, there's no reason to think he can't help a team next year. However, teams have to be concerned with the possibility that his body is simply breaking down due to age. It's hard to imagine anyone giving him more than a two-year deal at his age. For what it's worth, Tillman did create six turnovers (3 picks, 3 forced fumbles) in the eight games he played in 2013.
The Patriots likely won't be getting into a bidding war for Tillman if the corner is still looking for big money at his age, but if he's willing to take a little bit less to play for a contender they could be in the mix. Of course, it could be hard to compete with Tampa Bay, who have Tillman's former coach in Chicago, Lovie Smith.
4. Will Blackmon
I advocated for the Patriots to sign Blackmon off the scrap heap back in August, who at the time was a victim of the numbers crunch in Seattle's secondary. While the Pats ultimately didn't need Blackmon in 2013, he made me look smart by posting a solid season for the Jaguars, grading out as the 22nd best cornerback out of 110 qualifiers on Profootballfocus.
At 6'0" and 210 pounds, Blackmon would add some size to a Pats secondary that was largely undersized other than Talib. While Blackmon certainly wouldn't be a replacement for Talib, he could provide excellent depth, particularly against teams with bigger receivers.
Thanks to that season, his value is significantly higher now than it was in August, when he was hardly on the NFL's radar. While he won't get top corner money (or even close to it), he's expected to get an offer from the Jaguars. The Patriots likely won't be able to match the Jaguars money (the Jags have a whopping $56.14 million in cap space), but they can offer Blackmon an exponentially better shot at winning. Signing with the Patriots would also be a homecoming for the 29 year old, who attended Bishop Hendricken High School in Rhode Island before spending his college years at BC.
5. Terrell Thomas
Depending on how the market plays out, the 29 year old Thomas could be one of the best bargains of the cornerback market. Thomas was on the fast track to a excellent career, intercepting 10 passes and defending 34 more in a two year span between 2009-2010. However, back-to-back torn ACLs robbed him of two years of his prime, putting his career in serious jeopardy. Against the odds, Thomas returned in 2013 to have a solid if unspectacular season for the Giants, starting seven games largely as a nickel corner.
If Thomas can stay healthy (playing all 16 games in 2013 was an encouraging sign), he could provide starting caliber play to a team. As per usual, the Patriots involvement will hinge on how the market develops for him. Thomas has said he wants to be a starter, but he could find it hard to get starter money thanks to his injury history. If he's unsatisfied with his options, the Patriots could offer him the chance to play for a contender, although he'd obviously have to battle Arrington, Dennard and Ryan for playing time.
Honorable mention: Chris Cook, Jabari Greer, Mike Jenkins, Drayton Florence, Rashean Mathis
