Krazy Koz
On the Game Day Roster
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2006
- Messages
- 256
- Reaction score
- 4
http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/patriots/?p=959
"Most players don’t like being franchised, and CB Asante Samuel figures to be firmly in that camp — even if he would be guaranteed to make the $7.79 Million that the franchise number dictates, which is far more than he’s made in his first four years as a pro. Consider that Charles Woodson signed a deal last year with the Packers that paid him $10.5 Million in its first season and $18 Million through three years. And consider that Woodson wasn’t even that hot a name. He was someone who was set to turn 30, carried an injury history and was thought to have lost a step.
On the Patriots’ side, it’s hard to see them swallowing the idea of committing $7.79 Million in cap space to one player for 2007. Yes, it could happen and with close to $30 Million in cap space, there’s certainly room to facilitate it. But after the Deion Branch fiasco last season, it could lead to a holdout and may hamstring the team’s other offseason dealings. Bottom line: Don’t count it. And while the transition tag may be an option, there seems to be little use in applying it to Samuel. If he’s tagged with that and wants out, he’ll be able to leave without much of a problem.
That brings us to the only other player that would warrant one of these tags at this point: TE Daniel Graham. The Patriots’ history says this could happen. The Patriots have franchised just two players in the Bill Belichick era: K Adam Vinatieri and S Tebucky Jones. The two of those guys relate directly to Graham. Kickers/Punters carry the lowest franchise tender, while safeties have the third-lowest number. Wedged right in between those two positions? That’s right, tight end. So there is some history of the Patriots using the tag in that salary neighborhood.
Again, there is risk involved. The team/player relationship can be affected to a point of no return on these things, so the Patriots may have to tread lightly. The wild card here is that there is depth at that position, with Benjamin Watson and promising ‘06 rookie David Thomas on board, and ‘06 fourth-round pick Garrett Mills waiting in the wings. That said, Graham brings a level of blocking that’s not there with the others and has been invaluable in helping the line protect against premier pass rushers, skills that can’t be discounted. Certainly, the Patriots naming Graham a captain in midseason shows how much they think of him. And the guess here is that if someone’s going to get franchised, it will be him. "
"Most players don’t like being franchised, and CB Asante Samuel figures to be firmly in that camp — even if he would be guaranteed to make the $7.79 Million that the franchise number dictates, which is far more than he’s made in his first four years as a pro. Consider that Charles Woodson signed a deal last year with the Packers that paid him $10.5 Million in its first season and $18 Million through three years. And consider that Woodson wasn’t even that hot a name. He was someone who was set to turn 30, carried an injury history and was thought to have lost a step.
On the Patriots’ side, it’s hard to see them swallowing the idea of committing $7.79 Million in cap space to one player for 2007. Yes, it could happen and with close to $30 Million in cap space, there’s certainly room to facilitate it. But after the Deion Branch fiasco last season, it could lead to a holdout and may hamstring the team’s other offseason dealings. Bottom line: Don’t count it. And while the transition tag may be an option, there seems to be little use in applying it to Samuel. If he’s tagged with that and wants out, he’ll be able to leave without much of a problem.
That brings us to the only other player that would warrant one of these tags at this point: TE Daniel Graham. The Patriots’ history says this could happen. The Patriots have franchised just two players in the Bill Belichick era: K Adam Vinatieri and S Tebucky Jones. The two of those guys relate directly to Graham. Kickers/Punters carry the lowest franchise tender, while safeties have the third-lowest number. Wedged right in between those two positions? That’s right, tight end. So there is some history of the Patriots using the tag in that salary neighborhood.
Again, there is risk involved. The team/player relationship can be affected to a point of no return on these things, so the Patriots may have to tread lightly. The wild card here is that there is depth at that position, with Benjamin Watson and promising ‘06 rookie David Thomas on board, and ‘06 fourth-round pick Garrett Mills waiting in the wings. That said, Graham brings a level of blocking that’s not there with the others and has been invaluable in helping the line protect against premier pass rushers, skills that can’t be discounted. Certainly, the Patriots naming Graham a captain in midseason shows how much they think of him. And the guess here is that if someone’s going to get franchised, it will be him. "