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Ditto this.Where was the "He's a very good cornerback whom it is worth retaining, given the absence of alternatives, even if we have to pay the franchise number" option?
Ok, we all know that Asante had 12 Ints on the season (10 during the regular season and 2 in the play-offs). Of those 10 regular season ones, at least 5 were because of pressure on the QB and NOT because he beat out the WR for the ball.
Also, Asante is a lousy tackler. He goes for the show-boat hit too much and doesn't wrap up.
Now, don't get me wrong, he is a good CB. But I don't consider him to be GREAT or ELITE by any stretch of the imagination.
This is best solution for the New England Patriots for the 2007 NFL season.At the very least, the franchise tag allows us to see whether 2006 is the reality or the aberration for Samuel.PFnV
He's been a regular starter for four years now. Granted, this is his contract year, and it seems as if he's reflecting that by making high-risk high-reward plays (i.e., interceptions.) Possibly he didn't trust his judgment as much in prior years, but figured he would take some chances since he was about to hit the market. Evidently, his reads at the NFL level are pretty good.
In 2005, Samuel notched 3 interceptions. This year 10. Passes defensed were almost identical, 14 vs. 13 (vs. 11 in 2004.) Tackles have steadily climbed from 34 to 64; so at least he's getting people that catch the ball around him.
Oddly enough, Champ Bailey, the new popular template for a "shutdown" corner, has made tackles in the 60s-80s range the last few years, or an average of 4-6 per game depending on the year. Anybody that tells you nobody gets the ball on Bailey's side of the field is just lying to you. He just hits them when they do get the ball... a far cry from the "shutdown corner" who refuses to tackle (because...well, why would he have to?) Of course, Bailey has four years with five or more interceptions; Samuel has 1.
At the very least, the franchise tag allows us to see whether 2006 is the reality or the aberration for Samuel. I'm more of a mind to franchise and trade, but I have no idea of BB/SP's valuation of Samuel's play. If there is a magic observation, an "it" that Samuel has, that announces to a Belichickian/Piolian mind that the level of play will hold steady or increase, then we will know soon enough. Regardless, he is not in the Brady category, and nobody will pay "game-changing" money for good play with potential for great. I'm afraid that in the world of Cornerbacks, that type of money is not unheard of even for "good" players.
Again, I want to emphasize that in this era of cap inflation, franchising is mathmatically a better option than it has been in the past. "Top 5s" are still working on deals cut prior to a $20M influx last year in many cases. All "Top 5s" are working on deals prior to the $7M increase this year. The average rate of increase was much lower from 2000-2005, than it is now (especially the 2006 windfall.)
Since that rate of increase is higher, the value of the "trailing indicator" (the "Top 5") is inherently better (i.e., lower versus new deal market rates), than it has ever been.
PFnV
:woohoo:
Someone with stats! Where'd you get them? What % of passing downs was he thrown at each year? These are the telling stats. For instance, the 14 vs 13 passes defensed, is that in addition to the ints? Because that would make a total of 24 negative plays by the offense against Asante compared to 16 last year....now how does that compare to the # of times he was thrown at? And tackles going up from the 30s to the 60s.... was that over 4 years or two?
But in light of the funny money, a tag value will not represent top 5 salary any more. So it could be the smart financial move.
Nice post PFnV!
The 30s-to-60s was over 4 years, and it's almost a straight line, more each year....
And yes, the passes defensed means passes batted down or if there is another way to defense a pass without an INT or a tackle, doing that thing. Making the pass incomplete. (I think it's knock-downs, pure and simple.) Samuel's consistent in his numbers there, and they're in the range of what Bailey achieves on the knockdowns level (although Champ spiked at 19 one year.)
For that reason, I'm a little loath to say "he's good not great," because for all I know when BB sits down and watches the tape, he says "holy crap I need to keep this guy," and it's based on intangibles, or things only the great football mind sees. I freely admit I wish I had the knowledge to break down game tape, but I just don't. It does seem to me, however, that if Law didn't cross that "great" threshold for BB, it's unlikely Samuel will (especially given the attitude we're seeing.)
Thanks for the kind words,
PFnV