Desperation Move....Not going to Work

[Pats726]

More likely, if he is going to sign the franchise tender would be to wait until after the first couple of preseason games. There is really no incentive for him to sign earlier then the first game of the season when he would start losing game checks. The only way to get him to camp will be to promise not to franchise him next year.

Actually if he doesn't sign, if the team wants they can take the tag back..so he would be a UFA...the Pats would lose his rights and gain THAT cap space, But he would lose the almost 8 million. If they draft a CB and are OK with that and think AS is going to be a holdout AND do not believe there is much market got him..they can dump him. Will they??

 

[mr3putt]

I think the fundamental issue is whether we we are better or worse a defense by retaining Assante for another year and whether the price fits the value.

I assume that the Pats will draft a corner regardless of his status.
The comfort of his experiance at the corner this year while grooming a replacement gives me woodrow. If they are unable to reach a long term deal or a short term compromize then I would prefer to trade him Pre Draft to offer the Pats more flexibility on Draft day.

The Branch holdout of last year only confirms the stupidity of certain teams to dole out huge bucks in the current salary cap era. The idea of diminishing value based upon his holdout or reduced playing time is more of a hope than a reality. Some team will pay his nut.

It would be hard to come close to Samuel's target number and maintain our cap structure. If the Pat's could get a 1st rounder or high 2nd and package it on draft day for a stud cornerback I think we should bite the bullet and let him go. A cancerous holdout would only hurt the momentum generated from this offseason's aquisitions. IMHO

 

[DW Toys]

I agree here but I also think this is going pretty much as planned for the Patriots. Now they need to get compensation for him, get rid of that 7.8mil/yr cap hit and hopefully 3 1st rounders this year... Washington's 6th overall? You're telling me Asante's contract is up, and the Patriots somehow end up with 3 1st rounders out of the deal isn't a huge win for the Pats?

This also puts the Pats in great cap position again next year.

No Cousin.
I think what Washington has in mind is swap the 6th in round one to the Pats for Assante and our #28 (silmilar deal to Briggs). We just move up. We don't get an extra pic.
Now if they put Carlos Rogers in the deal and Pees can salvage him, (he might have more potential than Assante ever had) and it would be a good deal.

Bad deal now IMO (Unless we can move up to say 10th or eleventh and get an extra second rounder) .We have to pay a ton more guarantee money for the #6 than the #28. In the end will the #6 be better than the #28?
Lets just use Landry and say Merriweather (although I am not a fan of that player). How much more does the FO pay Landry and will Landry be worth that much more?
Miguel can you answer this?
DW Toys

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

As I said, I seriously doubt he would hold out to week 10, but he would certainly hold out to opening day. And they can't put him on the PUP for failure to show up. And why would they hurt thier chances in the first 6 weeks just to spite Samuel? That makes no sense what-so-ever. If he comes back on opening day then he will play. Once he signs that sheet, you are paying him the money, so you better damn play him. He will certainly be in game shape, given it is his tecket to get paid. But if you want to get the most out of him you need him in camp. If you do not have someone to fill that viod then you are going to have to make a deal with Samuel, my prediction being an agreement not to franchise him next year.

You make a lot of assumptions about this guy. You assume he'll be in game shape, without the benefit of camp and exhibitions, but this guy is no Michael Jordan. And if Coach even thinks he's not ready, he won't play till he is - money or no money.

But you're right about the PUP. My bad....

Anyway....

I'm extemely doubtful of the "promise not to franchise" play being bandied about. Such an approach strips the team of it's most powerful (and maybe only) leverage in the negotiation wars. And although it worked in the Shawn Alexander negotiations, the Pats have never - never - entered any negotiation, in the Kraft era, from an inferior position. If they didn't do it with Ty Law, they most assuredly aren't going to do it with this guy.

If they draft a corner to eventually step into the role then will not need to lock up Samuel long term and will just do what it takes to get him into camp. But that would also mean that a high enough offer would make trading Samuel now and getting value for him also a good bet.

Doing that before the draft would get you the best value for this season, if you intend to deal him this year. If you deal him after the draft, you are taking a shot on where the other team might end up. If you intend to keep Samuel, you better get the deal, in principle, done before the draft so you know what your real needs are. If you wait until after, then you are relying only on what is left in the free agent market and what you have to trade for and lose value next year.

I have no problem with dealing him before the draft. Get what value you can, and then move on. Asante wants to "get paid". The Patriots want to win the Super Bowl. East is East, and West is West. Not a problem.

But at no time, and in no way, shape or form, will Asante Samuel have the Patriots "over a barrel" in these negotiations.

That is my point.