Best of the AFC West: Cornerbacks
By Brandon Fry
#2 Aqib Talib
Aqib Talib was one of the big free agents the Broncos signed in 2014 to try to make their push at a Super Bowl after coming up short the year before. While Denver didn’t make another trip to the big game their newly signed corner had a good season. According to Pro Football Focus, Talib was thrown at 96 times (most in the division) and gave up 578 yards (18th best in the league) in coverage for the year among cornerbacks taking 60% of the snaps. Talib was tied at sixth in the league in tackles with 61 and second in the league in interceptions with four.
PFF had the average quarterback rating when throwing at Talib at 72.2 which was fifth among cornerbacks in the league who took 60% of the snaps. Talib finished with the 12th best overall PFF grade among cornerbacks at a +8.0. His best individual performance of the season came against the Bengals where he was graded at a +3.9. His worst performance grade of the season was against the Colts where he finished with a -4.5.
#3
Sean Smith surprised us all in 2014 going from playing with 2nd team in training camp due to poor performance to starting and having the best season of his six-year career. You can rest assured that when Smith is done serving his three game suspension he’ll be attacking this season at the highest level being in a contract year. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith was thrown at 86 times and gave up 597 yards (19th best in the league) in coverage for the year among cornerbacks taking 60% of the snaps. Smith was tied at 37th in the league in tackles with 46 and at the bottom of the league in interceptions with just one.
PFF had the average quarterback rating when throwing at Smith at 85.3 which was 25th among cornerbacks in the league who took 60% of the snaps. Smith finished with the 5th best overall PFF grade among cornerbacks at a +17.0. His best individual performance of the season came against the Patriots where he was graded at a +3.5. His worst performance grade of the season was against the Titans -2.3.
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