Asante S. not happy anymore

[tampabaypats12]

Trouble in paradise ....from the Mike Reiss Blog.......

April 04, 2007
Samuel update
Cornerback Asante Samuel spoke with Adam Schefter of the NFL Network and updated the status of his contract talks with the Patriots.

This is to let everybody know that I'm not happy anymore and things are not going well,? Samuel told Schefter. At first I thought it was going well, but it's not.

We have a difference of opinion in my value. They think I'm worth one price and the other teams think I?m worth a lot more. If a long-term deal can't be done at fair numbers for me and New England, then I want to be traded.

The complete story is on NFL.com.
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

Posted By: mreiss | Time: 06:57:47 PM

 

[skaIownsIyou]

uh oh

 

[Patriot Missile]

Burp him and put him to bed already.

 

[dryheat44]

I think we can categorize this "Least surprising news of the offseason".

 

[sebman2112]

I think we can categorize this "Least surprising news of the offseason".

Yea, I thought this was gonna happen when I first heard about his "Get Paid" tattoo, and when his agent said they'd be extremely unhappy with the franchise tag I thought things were going bad. Because of this I fully expected Asante to act like a big baby when NE tagged him, but he didn't, which threw me off. I do remember they said he didn't want to play under the franchise tag, and would only be happy if it was being used so NE could extend him. Then Samuel comes out and says everything is fine, so I started thinking "Maybe, this is gonna go smooth", but I still had something in the back of my mind telling me "It aint over yet, kid". So, I'm not surprised.

Give me the Titans first rounder for that "Get Paid" tattoo wearing one year wonder, and I'll be happy.

 

[dryheat44]

Yea, I thought this was gonna happen when I first heard about his "Get Paid" tattoo, and when his agent said they'd be extremely unhappy with the franchise tag I thought things were going bad. Because of this I fully expected Asante to act like a big baby when NE tagged him, but he didn't, which threw me off. I do remember they said he didn't want to play under the franchise tag, and would only be happy if it was being used so NE could extend him. Then Samuel comes out and says everything is fine, so I started thinking "Maybe, this is gonna go smooth", but I still had something in the back of my mind telling me "It aint over yet, kid". So, I'm not surprised.

Give me the Titans first rounder for that "Get Paid" tattoo wearing one year wonder, and I'll be happy.

Yep. If you didn't know by how the Deion Branch situation (not exactly parallel, I'm aware) played out, and you didn't know by the monster contract Clements got, you certainly know now that Samuel has chosen to go through the media.

Nice knowing you, Asante.

 

[ayjackson]

Since Asante seemed quite confident and even happy about the prospects of a long term deal a month ago, and now is quite discouraged and upset, I see two likely possibilities:

1) BB/SP negotiated in good faith to find THE deal that it would take to get Asante signed, then (after carefull consideration) backed off the deal, feeling there wasn't value in it.

2) The deal is still agreable to both parties and the intention is to sign it on or shortly after draft day, but BB/SP have asked Asante to publicly grumble about it so that teams think the Patriots will target CBs in round one.

I think both are plausible. We shouldn't always take things at face value, a lot of media stories are purposely leaked. Offseason football is not that different than politics.

 

[dryheat44]

Mike Florio's latest take:

SAMUEL'S CLAIMS SEEM A BIT FISHY

We've given some more thought to the recent statements from Pats cornerback Asante Samuel regarding his dissatisfaction with his contract status. On Wednesday, he teed off on the team regarding its failure to offer a long-term deal that he deems suitable.

But if another team is willing to pay Samuel the kind of money he's seeking (which likely meets or exceeds the $23 million in guaranteed money paid to Nate Clements by the 49ers), that team also should be willing to make a trade offer to the Pats.

Samuel's quotes in this regard are vague. If "other teams" think that he is "worth a lot more" than what the Pats have put on the table, who are they? And why haven't they made an offer to him, or to the team?

Though the days of giving up two first-round draft picks for a franchise player are long gone, it's not uncommon to give up a single first-rounder. Just last week, the Redskins offered to swap their No. 6 overall pick for the No. 31 overall pick in order to get Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, who also wears the franchise tag.

The other reality in Samuel's case is that he doesn't need the team to give him permission to seek a trade. He's a free agent, restricted only by the niceties of the franchise tag. He and his agent can talk to any other team, and can engineer a potential trade.

So put someone else's money where your mouth is, Asante. Get a team to come to the table, and get that team to make an offer to the Pats. That's how business gets done in the NFL; anyone who follows the sport closely knows it.