Asante Samuel ~ A Contract or A Trade?

[cstjohn17]

Great responses from all, both viewpoints well-represented.

Agreed, good dialog.

The combination of spectrums makes it very interesting, all of my evaluations are based on several scales, the two most relevant are described below.

Spectrum 1 - "Win at all costs now" versus "Long-term Success"
0 = Win at all costs, 100 = Long-term Success
- I place myself around 35
- I would rather win a few more championships now with Brady in his prime than make the playoffs for the next 5 years
- but I understand the need to not completely risk the future and commend the FO for their team building approach

Spectrum 2 - "Samuel is a top young CB" versus "Samuel is a product of the system"
0=Top young CB, 100=Product of the system
- I would place this around 45
- I feel he is better than a lot of people think and has improved every single year
- also understand that he has played with some excellent defenses and a defensive minded coach

In the end I hope he plays all 16 games with a chip on his shoulder (either with the tag) or even better with a long-term deal. If he sits out or is traded our secondary is really weakened.

 

[solman]

Sitting out is idiotic for Assante, pushing away 7.79 million is equally as stupid, he and his agent need slaps in the head to help them figure this out.

The agent didn't say that Asante won't sign. He said that he won't report during the offseason.

In my opinion, this is completely reasonable.

The Patriots have the right under the CBA to use the Franchise tag,

Asante has the right under the CBA to sit out until the season starts without losing a dime.

The Patriots can withdraw the offer at any time, but they would lose any claim to Asante (other than a third round compensatory pick next year).

 

[VJ11]

Coming back to the initial question: Contract or Trade? , I'd go for a contract. Whatever may be construed as an impasse or low-key negotiation period, it still comes down to this: the Patriots used the franchise tag to keep Samuel in the fold, so they could negotiate with his agent about a long-term contract. As with a lot of contract negotiations it takes some time for the two parties to come to an agreement.

Personally, I wish the matter was already a done deal, so we could move on to other things, like agonize over which youthful players will be added to our linebacker corps and inject it with some much-needed speed and range. But I guess the front office has their own timetable for bringing this matter to a close. In theory, the negotiations could drag on into the season, with Samuel using this season to stamp his ticket out of town. I'm hoping Samuel will be signed to a long-term deal before training camp starts.

As a player, Samuel has too much value to dismiss his accomplishments as merely a product of the system. His numbers have increased every season, and although it will be hard to repeat a 10-int season, his experience in the system is invaluable. It would be nice to have a fixture a la Ty Law at one corner, instead of a revolving door with less-than-ideal experienced players every other season.

 

[PatsMyBoyz!]

I hope it's a contract too,one that is agreeable to both parties,and I think the Pats want that as well. I definitely hope it's done by July at the latest.
We need some new signings to focus on-linebackers or maybe a RB:singing:

 

[PATRIOT64]

sneak back on to the team? He will use the leverage he has, as the patriots have done. And then, according to you, he will get exactly what he wanted: his release. The patriots will have their draft pick, but I have no reason to believe that will be a higher pick on September 1than it would be today. It seems that everyone is simply wasting time.

The team's best result at this point is a one-year contract with a no-franchise provision. I don't think that we will get this. In any case, the patriots need to plan to play without Samuel.

The agent didn't say that Asante won't sign. He said that he won't report during the offseason.

In my opinion, this is completely reasonable.

The Patriots have the right under the CBA to use the Franchise tag,

Asante has the right under the CBA to sit out until the season starts without losing a dime.

The Patriots can withdraw the offer at any time, but they would lose any claim to Asante (other than a third round compensatory pick next year).

I think theres no way the Patriots simply let Asante sneak back onto the team if he holds out till September.

IMO If he is not signed by the first preseason game,Asante will have seen his last as a Patriot,The FO will find a deal somewhere with some team.

 

[PatsSteve1]

IMO, Samuel will sign the tag late in TC and play this year. Next year either the Patriots tag and trade him or let him go. I'm guessing the two sides are too far apart to get a deal done.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Coming back to the initial question: Contract or Trade? , I'd go for a contract. Whatever may be construed as an impasse or low-key negotiation period, it still comes down to this: the Patriots used the franchise tag to keep Samuel in the fold, so they could negotiate with his agent about a long-term contract. As with a lot of contract negotiations it takes some time for the two parties to come to an agreement.

Personally, I wish the matter was already a done deal, so we could move on to other things, like agonize over which youthful players will be added to our linebacker corps and inject it with some much-needed speed and range. But I guess the front office has their own timetable for bringing this matter to a close. In theory, the negotiations could drag on into the season, with Samuel using this season to stamp his ticket out of town. I'm hoping Samuel will be signed to a long-term deal before training camp starts.

As a player, Samuel has too much value to dismiss his accomplishments as merely a product of the system. His numbers have increased every season, and although it will be hard to repeat a 10-int season, his experience in the system is invaluable. It would be nice to have a fixture a la Ty Law at one corner, instead of a revolving door with less-than-ideal experienced players every other season.

The Patriots certainly used the franchise tag to keep him in the fold - in the sense of under their control. I do think ideally they would like to sign him to a long term deal, but playing him under the tag or trading him were/are also valid options for using the tag. As for signing him to a long term deal before it drags into the season, after July 14th a tagged player cannot sign a long term deal with this team no matter how much either side might then want to because he and they are limited to a one year deal until the final week of the regular season. They've been at it for 8-9 months and now they're down to 8-9 weeks. After that both sides are basically down to using the 2008 tag as leverage just to get him to report and play out this season or finding a trading partner and moving on.

I'd like to see Asante stay, but I also think the way Hobbs was able to come on in the second half of his rookie season, and play through a broken wrist in his sophomore season, speaks volumes to what Belichick's system and excellent coaching does with/for reasonably talented players with good work ethic.

 

[Miguel]

The Patriots can withdraw the offer at any time, but they would lose any claim to Asante (other than a third round compensatory pick next year).

FWIW - In 2006 the Eagles did not get a comp pick for Corey Simon even though they tagged him and then withdrew his tender. In fact, in the press release regarding the 2006 comp picks Corey Simon's name was not even mentioned in either the Colts section or the Eagles section. Is this something new?? Because it appears that my reading of the CBA is not as thorough as it should be. I apparently missed the section that prohibits rolling over unused cap money.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

http://nfl.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05/09/if-samuel-sits-hobbs-is-ready/

Patriots fans are split on what to do with cornerback Asante Samuel...Some think New England should pay him. Others would be fine with letting him walk...If things don't work out with Samuel, though, Ellis Hobbs -- the guy Philip Rivers called "the sorriest corner in the league" -- is ready to step up. And no matter what you think of Hobbs the player, you have to think it's a lot easier to plug one hole when just about every other position is pretty much solidified.

 

[TomPatriot]

A replacement level QB without a ring who couldn't get the best team in the league to the Game shouldn't talk. And yes he is the sorriest QB ever picked for the Pro Bowl.

 

[solman]

I think theres no way the Patriots simply let Asante sneak back onto the team if he holds out till September.

IMO If he is not signed by the first preseason game,Asante will have seen his last as a Patriot,The FO will find a deal somewhere with some team.

Asante can accept the Franchise Offer at any time. if he does so, his money is immediately guaranteed, and he can not be traded without his consent.

The Patriots can rescind the offer at any time, but then Asante would be a free agent.

 

[solman]

FWIW - In 2006 the Eagles did not get a comp pick for Corey Simon even though they tagged him and then withdrew his tender. In fact, in the press release regarding the 2006 comp picks Corey Simon's name was not even mentioned in either the Colts section or the Eagles section. Is this something new?? Because it appears that my reading of the CBA is not as thorough as it should be. I apparently missed the section that prohibits rolling over unused cap money.

This seems incredibly unfair to the team which is losing the Franchise player (presumably due to hold out).

I don't deny that, by mutual consent, the NFL and NFLPA are entitled to agree on a set of rules that exclude such players from the compensatory calculation. But it seems wrong to do so.