Aqib Talib Traded to New England Patriots at NFL Trade Deadline for Fourth-Round Draft Pick

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have traded cornerback Aqib Talib to the New England Patriots at Thursday’s NFL trade deadline.

In what was a relatively slow day at the deadline around the league, the Patriots made the biggest splash at the last minute, picking up a cornerback to hopefully shore up their secondary woes.

Talib is currently serving a suspension resulting from a violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Because the Patriots are on a bye this week, Talib will need to serve the last game of his four-game suspension next Sunday against the Bills. He would be eligible to play as a Patriot on Nov. 18 against the Colts.

In his fifth season in the NFL, the former Kansas Jayhawk has 18 career interceptions, and one INT return for a touchdown. Talib has not played since Week 4 against the Redskins.

In exchange for Talib and a 2013 seventh-round pick from the Bucs, the Patriots sent a fourth-round pick for next year’s NFL Draft to Tampa Bay.