Denver Broncos: Aqib Talib Avoiding Suspension Enormous For Defense

Aqib Talib won’t receive a fine or a suspension from the NFL after a shooting incident that occurred in June 2016.

Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib was shot in the leg outside of a Dallas night club back in June 2016. Talib originally claimed he was shot in the leg by an unknown suspect, but unfortunately he later admitted to shooting himself. The injury wasn’t a setback as he easily returned to full health and started 13 games for the Broncos.

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In 2016, he accumulated 32 tackles along with three interceptions and 12 pass deflections. Talib was one of six Broncos to make it to the Pro Bowl and he was also a First Team All-Pro selection.

Talib signed a six-year, $57 million deal in 2014 with the Broncos. Before signing with Denver, he originally had stints with both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New England Patriots. Ever since signing with the Broncos, he has been a major contributor to the defense playing in a total of 43 games while accumulating 10 interceptions, 43 pass deflections and 129 tackles. His ability to shut down wide receivers and consistently knock them off their routes is his biggest attribute to the defense’s success.

NFL writer for the USA Today, Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday that Talib will not face any disciplinary actions concerning his shooting incident in June 2016. The league decided to give him a warning, even though they found his conduct detrimental to the league. Talib is not 100 percent out of the woods; he will need to take a fire arm safety course and will be monitored by the NFL by providing a constant inventory of the guns that he owns to league security.

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The NFL handled Talib’s situation with class. They are providing education, so that he can receive whatever help he needs and they are monitoring his actions to hold him accountable on a more micromanaged-level. He was fined $26,044 for multiple personal fouls against the Carolina Panther after Super Bowl 50. He was also suspended for a game in 2015 due poking a player in the eye while playing against the Indianapolis Colts.

This is great news for Broncos fans and the team’s defense because one of the team’s star players won’t be missing any games due to disciplinary measures. The news also affects what the team does in the draft, by not feeling pressed to draft a defensive back to fill Talib’s void.

The one thing we have to keep in mind with Talib is that he’s on a very short leash when it comes disciplinary measures. Expect him to get fined and suspended if he breaches another code of conduct policy.

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Talib will be paired with Chris Harris and Bradley Roby at corner back with T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart responsible for the deep third of the field behind them. The defense should be stacked with a healthy mix of experienced veterans and high end developmental prospects. There’s a lot of talent on the defensive line and on the edge, which will help Talib and the rest of the defensive backfield  in coverage.

Denver needs Talib on the field and ready to go if they expect to compete with some of the top teams in the NFL. They have a lot of issues on the other side of the ball and keeping the defense strong and healthy is a must if they want to be in playoff contention at the end of the season.

A small weight has been lifted off the Broncos shoulders since they don’t have to deal with Talib’s absence. Game planning for the beginning of the season is going to be much easier with him back in the lineup. This also provides a breath of fresh air for his teammates because they don’t have to try and pick up any of the slack with him being suspended.

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This is tremendous news as Talib is a major contributor to the defense. The Broncos definitely need him on the field this year and the team should improve overall as a whole compared to last year. We can consider the ruling was a win for the Denver Broncos.