Latest Samuel Article by Reiss

[BelichickFan]

Re: OMG, Samuel is such a brat

We just need to get value for him. A 2007 #2 is fine (two picks in rounds 1 and 2 ) or . . . even better . . . a 2008 #1. I bet we could get one as the acquiring team could put the pick on the credit card and I'd freak out if we had two #1s two years in a row + be able to spend the Samuel money on other FA.

 

[Bella*chick]

Re: OMG, Samuel is such a brat

Oh, no. Here we go...

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Re: OMG, Samuel is such a brat

We just need to get value for him. A 2007 #2 is fine (two picks in rounds 1 and 2 ) or . . . even better . . . a 2008 #1. I bet we could get one as the acquiring team could put the pick on the credit card and I'd freak out if we had two #1s two years in a row + be able to spend the Samuel money on other FA.

BF, you know our teams history of number 2 picks i dont want to double it this year!!!

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: OMG, Samuel is such a brat

BF, you know our teams history of number 2 picks i dont want to double it this year!!!

That's because we take too damn many WR in round 2 :bricks:

 

[everlong]

The Patriots do hold one trump card in the negotiation, as they could retain Samuel's rights by placing the franchise tag on him. The franchise tag for cornerbacks has not been set for 2007; it was $7.2 million this season.

I think they'll franchise him and if they cannot deal him they'll accept one year at around 8M.

Samuel, who turned 26 this month, earned $721,600 this season. Cornerbacks entering their prime years often command hefty contracts on the open market, as evidenced by the Jaguars giving Brian Williams a $10 million signing bonus last offseason as part of a six-year, $32 million deal. Like Samuel, Williams was a fourth-round draft choice who had four years of experience when he reached unrestricted free agency.

There's no way they'll give him 8M/year and I bet he wants every cent of it. The problem is so many teams have so much cap room that somebody will offer him an insane contract if they don't franchise him making a contract here impossible. I bet he gets a lot more than Williams. If they were close around week 7 like the article reads they should have just given him the extra money then because they had to know the contracts this off season are going to be like the baseball market where the contracts are off the charts.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Re: OMG, Samuel is such a brat

That's because we take too damn many WR in round 2 :bricks:

Try not to count out Jackson yet.

 

[SCPatBoy]

You guys are missing it all here...Do you really think we can replace Asante in the Offseason.....The draft is weak on Corners and teh FA market isn't any better. Asante is in his 4th year and is defenitely becoming a top corner. I mean his performance against Harrison should have quieted any concerns. I just can't believe people think we can let him go and everything will be ok back there in our Secondary. If Asante isn't playing Corner next year, we will have big issues.

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: OMG, Samuel is such a brat

Try not to count out Jackson yet.

I'm trying

 

[BelichickFan]

I think they'll franchise him and if they cannot deal him they'll accept one year at around 8M.

I don't think so, they all want a long term deal. Just like Branch who said he'd play out his contract if we promised not to Franchise him. One year at $8M sounds good to us but they want a monster signing bonus which makes them uncutable for 2-3 years all but guaranteeing the first 3 years of a big deal.

 

[BelichickFan]

You guys are missing it all here...Do you really think we can replace Asante in the Offseason.....The draft is weak on Corners and teh FA market isn't any better. Asante is in his 4th year and is defenitely becoming a top corner. I mean his performance against Harrison should have quieted any concerns. I just can't believe people think we can let him go and everything will be ok back there in our Secondary. If Asante isn't playing Corner next year, we will have big issues.

Not really the point. Maybe we lose him and sign a lesser replacement but make up for it elsewhere. If we have a JAG at CB and lose a bit there but for the $7M a year get London Fletcher and a good Safety or WR we make up for the hit we take.

 

[everlong]

I don't think so, they all want a long term deal. Just like Branch who said he'd play out his contract if we promised not to Franchise him. One year at $8M sounds good to us but they want a monster signing bonus which makes them uncutable for 2-3 years all but guaranteeing the first 3 years of a big deal.

I meant BB/SP would give him the one year at 8M feeling that they were over paying him as a bridge to get other guys up to speed.

Samuel wouldn't be happy I agree.

 

[ilduce06410]

Come Ahhnn

Maybe not but Law's career high in INT was 10 (that was with the Jets, 9 with NE) and Samuel didn't get beaten too often this year. Talk down upon him all you want, I'm glad he kicked ass it just increases his trade value when we Franchise him - which we'd better do or I'll be pissed.

these players, givens, branch, and samuel, should have been locked up BEFORE the got into their walk year.
THAT's the point at which a hometown discount is viable.
seymour took less $. ya can't expect others to do the same.
IMHO it was clear that asante was gonna become an elite cornerback 2 years ago. it was also clear about branch and givens the year before the walk year of their rookie contracts.
especially when you have the cap room.
so why, why, do patriots jerk players around when it could be so much easier?

 

[D-cleater]

Agreed. There is no way we sign Asante to a long term contract, it just ain't happening. Accept it now and you'll sleep a lot better later on.

The best we can hope for is a young replacement to groom, while strengthening the LB and Safety position. I wouldn't even be surprised to see Wilson back at corner next year.

I just hope it doesn't get ugly. I say let him go. The man came to work, played out his contract fair and square, earning every penny. The FO had every opportunity to sign him to a long term contract before his 10 INT season. They chose not to. To use the franchise tag to create a power struggle will simply create ill will and further tarnish the FO's reputation among the players.

Let's say we do franchise him though. Does this give us as much leverage as we think it does, assuming he would hold out? I guess so, just making sure.

 

[spacecrime]

Franchising him HAS TO be a no brainer.

I agree. Only a person with no brains would franchise him.

 

[Maroney TD]

Re: Come Ahhnn

seymour took less $. ya can't expect others to do the same.

Are you talking about Seymour's first contract or the contract extension because according to ESPN:

But several league sources said on Wednesday evening that the extension is for four years, through the 2010 season, and worth about $30 million, which would make Seymour one of the highest-paid defenders in the league, regardless of position.

 

[D-cleater]

Re: Come Ahhnn

these players, givens, branch, and samuel, should have been locked up BEFORE the got into their walk year.
THAT's the point at which a hometown discount is viable.
seymour took less $. ya can't expect others to do the same.
IMHO it was clear that asante was gonna become an elite cornerback 2 years ago. it was also clear about branch and givens the year before the walk year of their rookie contracts.
especially when you have the cap room.
so why, why, do patriots jerk players around when it could be so much easier?

Bravo!!!! Be careful, someone will suggest that you become a Redskins fan for thinking like this. There is no such thing as a comprimise among many board members here. It's all black and white.

Just wait till 2008 -2009. Lotta contracts coming due in those years, including just about our whole front seven. Imagine us extending Warren to a contract extension *before* he makes the Pro Bowl or busts out for 10 sacks?? Crazy, huh? Absolute lunacy. I should be a Redskins fan.

 

[The Predator]

Sounds like Deion Branch all over again. Ugh.

It doesn't as of yet because of this statement. "The door is wide open, but the ball is in their court, not ours," he said. "We'll respond to what is put in front of us, to serious conversation. The time for feeling each other out is over."

IMO this is fair. It isn't radicle. At leasr Shavers is saying he will respond. The Pats also know they cannot wait like they did with Twiggy because Asante is not under contract.

 

[BelichickFan]

Not re-signing players early is an organizational philosophy. Except in rare cases. There's no saying that the player would have his contract year productivity without it. If we'd signed Samuel long term a year ago would we still have had this great year from him ? Or is it a remarkable coincidence how well players seem to do in their contract years ?

 

[sieglo]

One good thing about Asante is that unlike most of our DBs, he seems to stay relatively healthy.

 

[kolbitr]

Re: Come Ahhnn

Bravo!!!! Be careful, someone will suggest that you become a Redskins fan for thinking like this. There is no such thing as a comprimise among many board members here. It's all black and white.

Just wait till 2008 -2009. Lotta contracts coming due in those years, including just about our whole front seven. Imagine us extending Warren to a contract extension *before* he makes the Pro Bowl or busts out for 10 sacks?? Crazy, huh? Absolute lunacy. I should be a Redskins fan.

It's hardly as easy as that. Signing early usually costs the player money, as your premise admits. Many, undoubtedly with the coaxing of their agents, choose to take the risk that they will have a breakout year and make even more money as a result. Moreover, there is no way of knowing which players will become stars: the risk in making that assumption too often is that you have a great many contracts of the high-middle class sort, where you paid the player a little less before they exploded, but then they never did. An example based on numbers (not contracts) would be Eugene Wilson: he had a good and promising 2004, and perhaps they could have locked him up then long-term. But what has he done since to warrant that money?

Finally, a player like Asante seems to be immature in many ways; I really like the guy, but who knows whether he will bring the same intensity too the field next year after he gets paid? what if he shuts it down? Sure, anoother 10 interception year would be awesome, but it seems just as likely that he would turn in a 2005-like performance. Would last year's Asante be worth 8.5mil/year plus $10 million signing bonus?

BB and Pioli look for guys that love football, not just money and rep and the rest of it...not sure if Asante qualifies or not. We'll see.