Asante Samuel close on a deal?

[FreeTedWilliams]

The Heralds says, no deal, but he may not hold out.......

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1011272

It goes to show, that absolutely no one not named BB or SP, has any idea what is happening

 

[DarrylS]

No, I don't think they know.. I hope they are close... I'm not holding my breathe though... I would love to see Samuel here as a Patriot, he just needs to get a reality check- he will not be as good as he is here, the system makes him look good, and 2, he may get more money else where, but he will probably be playing on a sorry ass team with no chance of making the playoffs. Take the money they offer you, it's good money, and will "take care of the family"... Ask Ty Law if it's a good idea to leave...

Nicely articulated, reflects a lot of what I have said over this issue, here he has had one good season that played to his strengths, not sure it would translate to another team.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

The Heralds says, no deal, but he may not hold out.......

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1011272

It goes to show, that absolutely no one not named BB or SP, has any idea what is happening

Hey, I think most of us would be ecstatic with no deal but he doesn't hold out. That clears the decks for this season and there then remains the possibility that over the course of this season they achieve a better mutual understanding of his long term value prior to the first day of FA in 2008.

It used to be a given that if the player caved and came in under the tag it was a given he was gone the following season. But Alexander and the Seahawks were able to salvage their relationship in spite of the tag and use that time to get a deal done.

 

[Coast2CoastPatsFan]

Hate to rain on this parade but RotoWorld is saying:

There is "virtually no chance" that either Asante Samuel or Lance Briggs will sign long-term contracts before the July 16 deadline for franchise players.

Both players are threatening to sit out the first ten games of the 2007 season. If they don't sign multi-year deals before the deadline, the only way Samuel and Briggs will be able to play is under the one-year franchise tender.

They got this info from ESPN insider.

Peter King was saying the same thing last night on NFL Network. All I've got to say is let's see what happens. Get the deal done, guys. And then go out and make history!


psychoPat wrote:

Agent Toby didn't give that interview simply to oblige a diligent reporter who inquired.
He gave it for some strategic purpose within the context of a high-stakes showdown.
The best idea that occurs to me is that Toby is trying to apply some pressure to the management side
by letting the world think that a deal is all but done ... but if it doesn't get done,
that could only be due to some niggardliness by the front office.

Toby wouldn't be in that position if the club had not already offered real good money.

This is a sound theory. It seems the dialogue has opened up, and that's a good sign. As suggested they may be close, with perhaps a little stubbornness from the Patriots side, so Toby is using some urging because he sees a ray of hope (and wants to make his side look good if a deal doesn't get done). Hey, Freeney just signed a new deal with his team so anything can happen.

 

[37Harrison]

i thought i was on your ignore list, if im off please put me back on, thanks

You have the wrong guy. I don't put anyone on an ignore list and I have no reason to put you on it.

 

[patsgo]

You have the wrong guy. I don't put anyone on an ignore list and I have no reason to put you on it.

whoops i think the 37 got me confused sorry

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

It may sound cynical but isn't it in the agent's best interest to get a deal done? He'd get his 3% ( of $20 million, it's $600K) but if Samuel plays under the franchise tag, I'm assuming ( you know what they say about that) the agent would get zippo since he did not negotiate the contract.....
Just my $0.02,............

 

[NYCPatsFan]

so he cares about his family. I could take care of a family with less than 1 mil a year, yet he needs 10 million for his. I just think that part is stupid.....

I agree with the stupid reasoning ("take care of family") but disagree if fans question why a player needs $xxx when they fans make $0.xx. I understand in this case that the repost is aimed at the stupid reasons given by the departing players for wanting to leave.

Given that they have to make hay when the sun shines on their fast and brutal careers (that can be abruptly cut without notice), I don't have any issues with them trying to do what we do: make more if we do better than the average. I am elated if the players are like Brown/Brady/Vrabel/Bruschi opting for less to stay and make history; I am disappointed if guys like Asante, Ty and Deion think that they must get the maximum $ come what may. But I am neither pissed off with them nor wonder why they are asking for gazillions more when the avg American salary is $40k p.a.

If they sign, well and good. If they don't, still well and good because I have much confidence in the rest of the team, the FO and the coach to carry on. I just wish that these departing players shut up and not insult us fans by giving ridiculous execuses that this is for 'their family' or 'put food on the table'.

 

[Pat_Nasty]

I agree with the stupid reasoning ("take care of family") but disagree if fans question why a player needs $xxx when they fans make $0.xx. I understand in this case that the repost is aimed at the stupid reasons given by the departing players for wanting to leave.

Given that they have to make hay when the sun shines on their fast and brutal careers (that can be abruptly cut without notice), I don't have any issues with them trying to do what we do: make more if we do better than the average. I am elated if the players are like Brown/Brady/Vrabel/Bruschi opting for less to stay and make history; I am disappointed if guys like Asante, Ty and Deion think that they must get the maximum $ come what may. But I am neither pissed off with them nor wonder why they are asking for gazillions more when the avg American salary is $40k p.a.

If they sign, well and good. If they don't, still well and good because I have much confidence in the rest of the team, the FO and the coach to carry on. I just wish that these departing players shut up and not insult us fans by giving ridiculous execuses that this is for 'their family' or 'put food on the table'.

There's nothing ridiculous about saying that wanting a big payday is for "their family" because these guys are thinking about their family's future. $7 million seems like a lot, but on its own, it's not going to last a family generations. Samuel's in a position where he could end up getting paid enough money to set up a trust that will help ensure that his grandchildren and great-grandchild will be able to put money down on a house or send their kids to college without worrying about loans or dept.

I happen to be lucky enough to have had a great-great-grandfather who was "greedy" enough to make a small fortune in real estate around the turn of the century. Over a hundred years later, I'm still benefiting from this. Unlike many friends, I didn't have to worry about student loans after college. I was able to pick my career without worrying about how much money I was going to make, and I when it took me quite a few years to really get going in that field, I didn't have financial worries pressing me to give up my ambitions.

I'm thankful for my great-great-grandfather's greed every day, as will Asante Samuel's progeny be.

 

[bringbackthereal87]

hey guys...theres a good article about this on profootballtalk, but i'm not sure how many of you guys feel about the site. so i thought id share because it sounds like they have a good point as this Toby guy isn't one of the registered agents therefore he cant be a part of the negotiations...

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

 

[JoeSixPat]

Wow, lot's of positive spin type stuff from the agent.

‘‘We’re not looking to grab money and leave. We’re looking to build a future here. It’s worked (for Samuel and the Patriots so far). It’s been great. It’s been magic.’’


‘‘We respect Coach (Bill) Belichick - he’s a visionary; he’s got a great system. We don’t want to disrespect the system by any means. We want to do something that works


‘‘He’s in the business of playing. He’s not in the business of negotiating or posturing, so we’re not posturing. We want to posture by holding up a world championship trophy.’’

I guess you'd call that "saying all the right things".

Taking the tough talk approach has done nothing for them to date... might as well try to go the same route as Freeney and see if it works for them.

It sure can't hurt.

I'd prefer to see something get done but am fully willing to accept that the team will draw a "line in the sand" if Samuel refuses to accept the reality that he's a perfect match for our system but that doesn't make him a top tier CB

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

I'm thankful for my great-great-grandfather's greed every day, as will Asante Samuel's progeny be.

You realize how unusual that is. the expression "shirtsleeves to shirtsleezes in three generations" refers to the fact that fortunes made by someone rolling up their sleeves is usually gone by the grandchildren's time. You can always cite the Kennedy's or Duponts but you never know what your progeny will turn out like....
Just ask Baron Hilton...............


(edited later- should have read 'shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves' not sleezes. (typo)

 

[Oswlek]

You realize how unusual that is. the expression "shirtsleeves to shirtsleezes in three generations" refers to the fact that fortunes made by someone rolling up their sleeves is usually gone by the grandchildren's time. You can always cite the Kennedy's or Duponts but you never know what your progeny will turn out like....
Just ask Baron Hilton...............

Just because it is unusual doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Actually, it really isn't that hard if you hire a decent atty to ensure that the money is used wisely.

I still don't see why people have such a hard time with the money concept. If a guy has the ability to make a nice big first payday, who are we to say he shouldn't. It certainly is a hell of a lot rarer that someone chooses to earn less than they could for their work than money lasting past the 3rd generation.

If Samuel is fighting this hard over $1mm, than I could see the point. But we don't know how far apart that they are, and there could very well be a wide margin between what NE is offering and what Asante could make on the open market.

And the whole "I could live on $7mm, so why does he need more?" is misguided envy. Why should he settle for $7mm when guys like Freeney get $30mm guaranteed? Samuel would most certainly make $20mm guaranteed on the open market. Again I ask, who are we to tell him that he shouldn't? This isn't a Branch thing where he agreed to the deal and now is reneging.

The needs of a fan are more important than the needs of the man, I guess.

 

[patsfan579]

I'm going to go on a limb here and say Asante signs a deal by monday afternoon for 6 years 50 million with 22 mill guarenteed the first 3 years.

I think that's a reasonable deal for both sides

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I'm going to go on a limb here and say Asante signs a deal by monday afternoon for 6 years 50 million with 22 mill guarenteed the first 3 years.

I think that's a reasonable deal for both sides

I highly doubt it will be that high.. Im saying 4 yrs 30 mil, 15 guranteed...

 

[PatsSteve1]

Despite the agent's optimistic words I'll believe it when it happens. IMO, the reported gap between the 2 sides was/is too great.

 

[SWelker]

Maybe the Pats are doing the same thing they did with Givens when he became a free agent? I remember early in the negotiations they didn't offer him anywhere near what he wanted but when he hit the market the Pats offered him a contract that he would have more than likely signed if they offered it a year earlier of sometime during the season.

Think the Pats upped the offer to Asante knowing a deadline is close?

 

[BelichickFan]

IMO, the reported gap between the 2 sides was/is too great.

What matters is the actual gap not the reported gap. They could be miles apart or they could have been $1M a year apart the whole time.

 

[RayClay]

The Heralds says, no deal, but he may not hold out.......

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1011272

It goes to show, that absolutely no one not named BB or SP, has any idea what is happening

I don't think anyone's closer to the situation than Samuels agent, so that Herald article really doesn't mean much.

The agent's smoke blowing might not mean much either, but this is new information and the herald article is no information.

 

[RayClay]

Hate to rain on this parade but RotoWorld is saying:

There is "virtually no chance" that either Asante Samuel or Lance Briggs will sign long-term contracts before the July 16 deadline for franchise players.

Both players are threatening to sit out the first ten games of the 2007 season. If they don't sign multi-year deals before the deadline, the only way Samuel and Briggs will be able to play is under the one-year franchise tender.

They got this info from ESPN insider.

Well if Rotoworld says it, that settles it.

What the hell is rotoworld anyway? I've read it, but have no idea why anyone would consider them to have inside information.

Of course because you pay for ESPN Insider, it must be true, right?[/SUCKER]