A couple of things that need to be stated or restated.

[patfanken]

1. If there ARE other teams that are out there who would pay Assante MORE than the Dre Bly deal that the Pats offered, where are those OFFERS?? There hasn't been a single one reported.

2. The onus of making a trade happen is clearly in the hands of Samuel and his representatives. He is the technical FA. He is free to go to any team and shop himself. If he is so disappointed in the way the Pats are treating him, why isn't he out there visiting other teams making something happen??

3. Coming back after 10 games is not required. He can stay out the entire year. Coming back after 10 game merely gets him an extra year toward his pension, and at the contract level he's going to be at, a pension 30 years down the road is not a reason to come back if he's that stupid to sit down for 10 games. It might as well be the entire season.

4. I'd trade Samuel for Winfield and a 2nd in a nanosecond. You'd get a CB with just under elite capabilities (inother words very good), plus a good pick in next years draft. I think Winfield's contract is in the Dre Bly range, so its within the Pats budget. He would give the Pats probably 2 more years of top notch play, which is time for them to find their next top flight CB to pair with Hobbs. BTW- Hobbs, IMHO is ahead of Samuel's development at this stage of his career.

5. I think we are vastly underrating the aquisition of Torrey James. Don't forget that this guy was in Hawaii just 2 years ago. I see him as a reincarnation of OTIS. Like Smith, he is a big CB, who can physically handle the bigger WRs in the short zone with over the top help. He is definitely on the downside, but so was OTIS. He also has better ball skills than OTIS. Put in the right situations he will be very effective, even if Samuel remains.

6. Right now, without Samuel and not including the rookies or camp fodder, Pats have the following people capable of playing CB this season. Hobbs, Gay, Scott, James, Wilson, Merriweather. Those are 6 guys would are better 6 deep than what we had in 2001, 2003, and 2004. We might have had better starters in SOME of those years, but not the depth. It is clearly better if Samuel is there, but the Pats have won championships with less.

7. Samuel will probably end up missing most of TC if things keep on this track, but I CANNOT envision him holding out actual games. To what end. What does that accomplish other than hurt his marketability, hurt his teammates and his relationship to them, and cost him millions of dollars.

If he is unwilling to come down on his demands, and the Pats are unwilling to come up, then he has no choice but to eventually sign the tender and play like hell the ENTIRE year. Sitting out 10 games is ridiculous, and hurts HIM more than the team. Sitting out the entire year, is even more stupid.

BOTTOM LINE - Forget about the Pats I would ask the board to explain to me how sitting out 10-16 games helps Assante Samuel in any manner. I just can't see it.

 

[BelizePats]

Ken,

You always have a way of getting to the heart of the matter which is greatly appreicated by most of us here. From where I sit, Asante has put himself in a hole with his comments about not showing up until game 10. That's alot of money to be leaving on the table and after all, isn't money what this is supposed to be all about.
I'd rather see him play for us. But if he's going to try to flame his way out of town, lets trade him for whatever we can get. My personal opinion is that there are very few teams that are going to be willing to trade a high draft pick for this guy and fewer still who will do so and then pay him the large he thinks he's worth.

 

[stinkypete]

I say work out a deal and dump him off to a crap team for either (a) an unhappy vet starter with something in the tank (Winfield), or (b) some package of picks.

Let Samuel get paid, get something fair in return, and let the guy learn what it's like to wallow for a cellar dweller.

 

[jczxohn1]

IMO, Asante made some definite improvements last season.
1. His # of penalties did not rise, even tho he was obviously taking chances.
2. His # of passes defensed improved. Thought he made some really nice plays in this area.

That said, he was the beneficiary of coverages set up to give him INT opportunities. One might suppose he feels he is the 2nd coming of Ty, based on his contract demands, but others might think he was just doing his job as part of a group effort. IIRC, BB made a big deal of congratulating Mickens on one of Asante's INT's. While it is true that Asante did make those INT's, it is disappointing to see a valuable team member cry "unfairness" and seemingly fail to acknowledge his supporting cast.

 

[makoute]

1. If there ARE other teams that are out there who would pay Assante MORE than the Dre Bly deal that the Pats offered, where are those OFFERS?? There hasn't been a single one reported.

In that case the Pats can take the franchise tag off, and it won't matter since they're offering him the highest contract.

2. The onus of making a trade happen is clearly in the hands of Samuel and his representatives. He is the technical FA. He is free to go to any team and shop himself. If he is so disappointed in the way the Pats are treating him, why isn't he out there visiting other teams making something happen??

Do you know for a fact that he is not? Do you work for him (or his agent)?

3. Coming back after 10 games is not required. He can stay out the entire year. Coming back after 10 game merely gets him an extra year toward his pension, and at the contract level he's going to be at, a pension 30 years down the road is not a reason to come back if he's that stupid to sit down for 10 games. It might as well be the entire season.

So it has no bearing on next year? You sure about this paragraph right there!

4. I'd trade Samuel for Winfield and a 2nd in a nanosecond. You'd get a CB with just under elite capabilities (inother words very good), plus a good pick in next years draft. I think Winfield's contract is in the Dre Bly range, so its within the Pats budget. He would give the Pats probably 2 more years of top notch play, which is time for them to find their next top flight CB to pair with Hobbs. BTW- Hobbs, IMHO is ahead of Samuel's development at this stage of his career.

And the Vikings would do that because? (they haven't learned their lessons in previous stupid trades they've made?) BTW why do you feel Hobbs is ahead of Samuels.

7. Samuel will probably end up missing most of TC if things keep on this track, but I CANNOT envision him holding out actual games. To what end. What does that accomplish other than hurt his marketability, hurt his teammates and his relationship to them, and cost him millions of dollars.

Didn't hurt Deion Branch did it? And Samuels is better at his position then Dieon Branch was at his position.

If he is unwilling to come down on his demands, and the Pats are unwilling to come up, then he has no choice but to eventually sign the tender and play like hell the ENTIRE year. Sitting out 10 games is ridiculous, and hurts HIM more than the team. Sitting out the entire year, is even more stupid.

Not really, check Deion Branch. 10 games is the maximum he's allowed per the collective bargaining agreement which the NFLPA and the owners came up with. And he won't sit out the entire year, because he's right back where he started if he does.