I think Samuel re-signs

[c_nice_37]

Franchise him - and HOPE someone gives up the picks.

Pay him a reasonable salary, $6mil a year isn't out of wack with the growing salary cap IMO, and if its the signing bonus that kills us, then shame on us for not getting it done.

Samuel is not a Champ Bailey, but he is damn good. He knows the scheme, can be trusted on an island (except in jump balls, where he absolutely sucks IMO) and that alone is worth some good change. No rookie or FA (besides Clements) can step in and help us like he can.

Sign Graham, and shop for an ILB, move Bruschi back to the weakside, and we are looking great. If ILB is #1 on draft day, and they get that kid Willis, we are looking alright.

How do we feel about Assante getting tagged... ALRIGHT!

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

In the immortal words of Bill Belichick "We Will Do What We Think Is Best For The Team Now And In The Near Future" - If that means signing up Asante to protect our future,we will...In Bill We Trust

 

[AzPatsFan]

After the 03 season in which Ty Law was arguably the team MVP, we made no effort to extend him, but why not honor a 1 year deal for one of the best CBs in the league? It was a no brainer.

They correctly predicted that Law would decline and they will correctly predict that Asante is not worth nearly whatever he is about to get in free agency. It's all about value once again.

The 8 mill spent on franchising him could be better spent elsewhere.

Care to name where?

 

[upstater1]

BB spent a top draft pick on Starks? Really? Sure about that?

The Pats traded a 3rd round to the Cardinals and swapped 5th rounders. I wouldn't call a 3rd round pick a TOP PICK by any stretch of the imagination. Not considering that it was the end of the 3rd round.

You're right, BB has drafted a few duds, but so does every team.

I would call a 3rd a top pick. You're getting one of the best 100 players in college ball, actually better than best 100 if you know what you're doing. Success in the 3rd round means success overall, if you ask me. Though the Patriots kind of disprove this theory.

I simply think that getting one of the top 100 players in the draft and then paying them peanuts is the surest road to the playoffs, if a team knows what it's doing. If a team can convert 1 second rounder to 2 3rd rounders each and every year, I'd bet the team with the 3rd round picks comes out ahead in the end.

 

[upstater1]

In the immortal words of Bill Belichick "We Will Do What We Think Is Best For The Team Now And In The Near Future" - If that means signing up Asante to protect our future,we will...In Bill We Trust

In my opinion, the future temporarily ends when Brady hangs them up. They better ramp things up toward the end of Brady's career. He's that good.

But I agree, it's way too early to putting all our eggs in one basket.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Ty Law is a different player in that he's much better suited to a man to man defense - and wasn't all that happy when playing zone.

Amazing how dim the memory becomes of the Goode Olde Days.

The knock on Ty Law and the reason he slid to the end of Round 1 when drafted, was that he had marginal speed for a CB.

Law had a single good year as a man CB in the mid nineties, and couldn't really duplicate. When BB made him a zone CB, his ball skills let him get lots of INTs. But he had, just like Samuels does, the sense to attempt INTs when he has coverage of the Safety deep, to cover in case he misses.

Its called controlled gambling, and smart secondary play.

I think Samuel should be franchised or signed long term precisely because he DOES fit in so well here, unlike Law, who was here when BB came in and BB, wasn't really a zone D guy but BB was smart enough to use him well - and likely would have used him well again if Law had been willing to sign for reasonable short term money.

Its irrelative what the player thinks. Under Hermie ,Ty got 9 INTs as a man corner, but the Jets said he gave up an many TDs as INTs he got. they wouldn't resign him. but hermei di in KC. BB looked at the objective facts. Ty was a slower CB with cover and ballskills; use him that way instead of the self inflated opinion he had of his abilities.

Everyone forgets that BB/SP conserve money so they can pay the really good players. Asante has made the leap to blue chipper; he can easily get paid $8 million a year, 2 million a year less than Ty got, and still be at the franchise price.

I'll wager the Pats sign him for a minimum of 4 years and maybe more for 7-9 million a year.