As the eldest of the Broncos' talented trio of cornerbacks -- a group that included Harris, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, and Bradley Roby -- Talib emerged as a logical salary-cap casualty. Initially, Broncos general manager John Elway worked out a deal that would have sent Talib to the San Francisco 49ers for a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Talib balked, telling Elway he wouldn't take a physical with San Francisco, which would have been required to complete the deal. He then gave Elway a short list of teams to which he'd willingly accept a trade: the Dallas Cowboys, who train near his hometown and offseason residence; the Patriots, with whom he spent a season-and-a-half before signing with the Broncos in 2014; and the Rams, because of his familiarity with Phillips' system.