Schefter: Pats Franchise Samuel

[DaBruinz]

I understand that if someone offered us two first rounders we would jump in a heartbeat, however if we designate Asante with the non-exlusive tag then we must get the two first rounders for compensation. That will not happen. Nobody is giving that for Asante. Period. We would be happy with a solid second rounder for him. The exlusive gives us the ability to negotiate with other teams without demanding two first rounders.

This is absolutely false. Teams do NOT have to offer 2 1st round picks as compensation for Franchise Free Agents. The 2 1st round picks are the MAXIMUM compensation a team can receive and its the compensation they would receive if they couldn't come to an agreement after the contract is signed. That is why you haven't seen that happen since Sean Gilbert got signed. Teams now negotiate the compensation ahead of time. As what happened with the Saints and Pats with Tebucky Jones.

A player who actually SIGNS the franchise contract can not be traded.

Asante is no Peyton Manning. I am not convinced that the Pats can negotiate a deal with him for a $ amount he will be happy with. That is why I see the exclusive tag being used so we can flip him for a draft pick(s). If I am wrong oh well. I am not sure he has a long term future here.

I don't care if Wikepedia's numbers may be off until 1.5 months from now. The principle is still the same. It defines the practice just fine.

The exclusive tag is NOT used in the way you describe because the player can NOT negotiate with other teams if he has the exclusive tag on him. He has to sign a contract with the team that put the exclusive tag on him.

 

[DaBruinz]

After leaving your team's top offensive weapon, an in-his-prime Tom Brady, without top receiving weapons in the '06-'07 season, look for the Patriots to go "NY Yankees play-for-this- year" style in 2007, as Brady creaps towards age 30. Watch-em franchise Samuel, then Samuel to howl and threaten to sit-out, then watch as Samuel shows up relunctantly very late (Sept.), and the Pats to worry about the 2007-2008 season only. Then franchise him again in 2008.

Maybe you should read the stories before commenting. Also, I suggest you refresh your memory on what really happened last year. The Patriots fully intended to have Branch on the team. BRANCH is the one who chose to not honor his contract.

 

[shirtsleeve]

here is another version. http://www.askthecommish.com/freeagency/

Each Club can designate one of its players who would otherwise be an UFA or RFA as a Franchise Player each season. Something that even some of the most knowledgeable sports fans do not realize is that a team has the option of designating a Franchise player with one of two tags: "Exclusive" or "Non-Exclusive".

Any Club that designates a Franchise Player as "Exclusive" shall be the only Club with which that Franchise Player may negotiate or sign a contract. In order to designate an UFA or RFA as an Exclusive Franchise Player, the team must tender the player a one year contract that is the minimum of the average of the five largest salaries (as calculated at the end of the free agency signing period) for players at the position at which he played the most games during the prior year, or 120% of his prior year salary, whichever is greater.

If the team elects to name the player "non-exclusive" then the player shall be permitted to negotiate a contract with any Club as if he were an UFA; however, Draft Choice Compensation of TWO first round draft selections shall be awarded to the prior club in the event that he signs with the new club. For Non-Exlusive Franchise Players, the team must tender the player a one year contract that is the minimum of the average of the five largest PRIOR-YEAR salaries for players at the position at which he played the most games in the prior year, or 120% of his prior year salary, whichever is greater.

If the player elects to play with the prior club (the team that designated him with the Franchise tag) and does not negotiate another contract with that team, then the one year salary is guaranteed. Also, if the prior club elects to withdraw the qualifying offer, the player becomes an UFA.

Digger, that was good reading and much clearer now! Thanks. So, since the team has already tendered an offer of th $7.79 million (or whatever it is exactly) Asante is by default a Non Exclusive Franchised Player. He can go anywhere to negotiate another deal at will, just like he was an UFA. But the Pats will get two first round draft choices as compensation. This doesn't mean that the Pats could agree to other compensation, such as one first rounder, but the CBA specifies two if no other terms can be agreed to, correct?

 

[DaBruinz]

The other way around the 2 1st round pick compensation is for the teams to work out the compensation, the Franchised player to work out the contract with the new team, and the the old team to sign him to said contract and trade him for the compensation agreed upon.

Either way, the end result is the same. The original team doesn't get 2 1st round picks.

 

[Seymour93]

BB goes into details, reveals team strategy...

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

Belichick statement

The Patriots just sent out the following statement from coach Bill Belichick after the team placed the franchise tag on Asante Samuel:

"Asante Samuel is an outstanding player who has been a consistent contributor for us for several years. We hope Asante remains a Patriot for many seasons to come."

 

[pats1]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

February 16, 2007
Belichick statement

The Patriots just sent out the following statement from coach Bill Belichick after the team placed the franchise tag on Asante Samuel:

"Asante Samuel is an outstanding player who has been a consistent contributor for us for several years. We hope Asante remains a Patriot for many seasons to come."

Posted By: mreiss | Time: 08:28:15 PM

 

[Jimke]

I have a crazy thought. What happens if the Pats sign Samuel

to a long term contract before the 22nd? Would that free up the franchise

tag for Graham?

 

[Brady to Brown]

Who cares what kind of tag it is. The Patriots now have the power over where Samuel will play next year.

 

[Underoath]

Well this is good news. Hopefully they get him to a long-term deal and re-sign Graham.

 

[Triple-T]

Although I'm not a lawyer (but I fake it at work ALL the time), I did just spend some time reading the CBA and here's a brief summary of what I found.

All a team needs to do is tell the player and NLFPA what type they want to designate. So, if they want to do exclusive, they can, but obviously salary will have to be determined later. If it is non-exclusive (those words are not used in the CBA), then the player can negotiate with other teams. If another team makes an offer that the player signs and the franchising team doesn't match, the franchising team gets 2 firsts.

Then there is a lot of mumbo jumbo that doesn't apply (2nd/3rd time designated, timings, if the player signs, etc).

There is nothing (as far as I can tell) that discusses trade compensation.

Soooooo...as far as trading him is concerned, it is pretty clear we can get any compensation another team is willing to offer and we are willing to accept.

I'm pretty sure the Pats went non-exclusive. Why wouldn't they allow for another team to sign him and get the 2 firsts? The only reason to do an exclusive is so you don't lose the player. I think only Brady would be in that category.

 

[cstjohn17]

I wonder if Reiss actually wrote this for the Patriots?

He sure has got the inside track, bless our little blogger...

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

February 16, 2007
Belichick statement

The Patriots just sent out the following statement from coach Bill Belichick after the team placed the franchise tag on Asante Samuel:

"Asante Samuel is an outstanding player who has been a consistent contributor for us for several years. We hope Asante remains a Patriot for many seasons to come."

Posted By: mreiss | Time: 08:28:15 PM

 

[pats1]

I have a crazy thought. What happens if the Pats sign Samuel

to a long term contract before the 22nd? Would that free up the franchise

tag for Graham?

No.

If they sign Samuel to a multi-year contract before March 16, they can use the franchise tag on a player next year. If they sign him a multi-year contract between then and I think July 20 or 23, they will lose the franchise tag privilege for the duration of the contract. They cannot sign him to a multi-year contract from then until the end of the season.

As of tonight, the Pats now have that ~$7 million cap hit on the books. This will obviously remain on the books if the contract is signed, in which case it is guaranteed, but if it is withdrawn or Samuel is traded, then that's when it comes off.

 

[upstater1]

But what do you do next February?

Next February, when Samuel has put together 1 1/2 consistent seasons of Pro Bowl caliber football, the Patriots will have to pay him.

 

[Brady to Brown]

Although I'm not a lawyer (but I fake it at work ALL the time), I did just spend some time reading the CBA and here's a brief summary of what I found.

All a team needs to do is tell the player and NLFPA what type they want to designate. So, if they want to do exclusive, they can, but obviously salary will have to be determined later. If it is non-exclusive (those words are not used in the CBA), then the player can negotiate with other teams. If another team makes an offer that the player signs and the franchising team doesn't match, the franchising team gets 2 firsts.

Then there is a lot of mumbo jumbo that doesn't apply (2nd/3rd time designated, timings, if the player signs, etc).

There is nothing (as far as I can tell) that discusses trade compensation.

Soooooo...as far as trading him is concerned, it is pretty clear we can get any compensation another team is willing to offer and we are willing to accept.

I'm pretty sure the Pats went non-exclusive. Why wouldn't they allow for another team to sign him and get the 2 firsts? The only reason to do an exclusive is so you don't lose the player. I think only Brady would be in that category.

Thanks, its easy to understand. I hope this helps those all tied up in the details. As someone that is just a fan I think this was the only thing the Patriots could do.

 

[upstater1]

Sweet Christmas, they could franchise me every year of my career for 1/10th of that.

1/10th? You'd settle for $790,000 dollars a year?

Man, some people are rich on this board.

Mosst people wouldn't mind 1/100th.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

People need to stop and realize that the 2 1st round picks is the compensation ONLY if the 2 teams can not come to a mutual agreement on what the compensation will be AND the player has actually signed the contract. In this day and age, teams don't do that anymore. They won't even sign the player to the contract without the compensation being agreed to prior. That is what happened with Tebucky Jones. He signed his deal with the Saints and the Pats got the 3 picks.

The Pats won't get 2 1st round picks for Samuel. In fact, it looks like the team and his agent are moving things in the right direction and they want to get a long term deal done.

what is your point that is different than mine? or are you reaffirming mine?

 

[Gunnails]

Good move by the Pats, lock him up.
I expect the Pats will trade him now, could get a first rounder, lots of teams in the market for good corners, and lots of teams with cap dollars.

This will also drive Nate Clements price up. Clement is going to get payed for sure.

 

[shirtsleeve]

People need to stop and realize that the 2 1st round picks is the compensation ONLY if the 2 teams can not come to a mutual agreement on what the compensation will be AND the player has actually signed the contract. In this day and age, teams don't do that anymore. They won't even sign the player to the contract without the compensation being agreed to prior. That is what happened with Tebucky Jones. He signed his deal with the Saints and the Pats got the 3 picks.

The Pats won't get 2 1st round picks for Samuel. In fact, it looks like the team and his agent are moving things in the right direction and they want to get a long term deal done.

(For those who obviously understand this, please forgive, I will now spell it out in laymans terms, none of that technical jargon crap)
Ahhh, but here is the beauty of things. Should the team and the agent fail to reach a long term contract before FA starts, and the agent and say, the Dolts, Donks, Jests, Doofins, or Bills wanna make a deal, we can reply sure, we wont match, but it'll cost ya 2 first rounders, thereby all but guaranteeing the fact that Asante cant play there. But say, Arizona comes a knocking, we can negotiate with the Cards for what we really want, hence making the deal happen where we want it....should it come to that. Sounds like both sides dont want it to come to that.

And to further clarify...He was already offered the tender of last years top 5 money, and all this talk of two first rounders means he has already been tagged as a non exclusive franchise player.

Should nothing agreeable to all parties occur before that July date, Asante will either sit out or play for the Pats this year. If he chooses to sit out, he loses the salary for that game (essentially) and at @$500k per, I dont see him sitting. Nor do I see him taking the season easy, either. He will have to play up to his potential to maintain his status for next year.

This is all good for Pats fans in 2007.

 

[cstjohn17]

Re: Pats slap Samuel

Something I thought of... happy to see that things are at least starting out on the right foot and I hope a long-term deal is in the works.

If Samuel doesn't come to all the camps, he should be better prepared than most players. I believe he spent most of the offseason in Florida and came to training camp in great shape and had his best year. No reason to think he won't be working out just as hard knowing that it may be another contract year.

 

[koolaid23]

its true. just saw it reported on rotowire too. im pretty happy bout it, not gonna lie.