Report: Patriots "Very Close" to Deal with Aqib Talib

According to several sources, including NBC Sports, the New England Patriots are "very close" to a deal with cornerback Aqib Talib. Rumors had interest coming from both Denver and Washington, and apparently the Redskins put a fairly solid offer on the table, but the Patriots remained more appealing.

I'm not sure when the deal will be announced, or what exactly "very close" means, but I'm willing to take the reports as a good sign. Obviously, absolutely nothing is final until the team officially announces it, so take any and all reports and Tweets with a grain of salt (remember when being right was more important than being first?). However, this news coming on the heels of reports that the Patriots were aggressively trying to get a deal done with Julian Edelman is certainly cause for optimism; by locking up the two most important free agents before they are allowed to test the market, it gives the team more room to go out and get the players they want from elsewhere. I doubt that Edelman or Talib are going to come cheap, but there are few front offices better than New England's, so I'm confident that whatever deal goes in place (if any) will be fair for both sides and won't leave the Patriots without any money to pursue a solid pass rusher.

Lots of exciting stuff on the horizon - make sure to check back here often for updates and news as it comes in.