No hope of signing Samuel

[italian pat patriot]

my personal opinion is that Asante Samuel will not a Patriot next season

only a feeling of course, nothing more then it

 

[aabtec]

my personal opinion is that Asante Samuel will not a Patriot next season

only a feeling of course, nothing more then it

I still think he gets some sort of tag. He is not walking out of here without compensation.

 

[The Gr8est]

The fact that Samuel wants more money than the Pats are willing to pay doesn't necessarily walk as a FA.

I think it is quite possible that they franchise him for a year and either keep him during the transition period for a new CB or trade him to another franchise a la Tebucky Jones. I'm OK with either scenario, but I agree that BB and SP won't break the salary structure for samuel, nor should they.

He is NOT Tom Brady or Richard Seymour, not even close.

 

[solman]

IMO he is not a franchisable money player, a good player but certainly not work the money of the top 5 cb's in the league. He is a ball hawk, but has gotten beaten often and has a hard time tackling the big backs.

This is very misleading. Franchising would NOT result in paying Asante as a top 5 corner because:

1. Franchise tag salary is based on salaries as of early 2007. Because of the very large amount of cap space held by teams around the league, and the small number of players who will be available in free agency, significant salary inflation is about to occur. Also, some of those players signed contracts before the current CBA, when the salary cap was MUCH smaller.

2. Those other players signed multi-year contracts with significant guarnteed signing bonuses. Our deal with Asante would be a single year commitment. This is especially useful in the case of Asante because his performance this year may be an aberration, or it may be the start of a Ty Law type of career. After next year we'll know.

All things considered, I think that the franchise tag contract would pay Asante as a top 20 corner. While I acknowledge that this year could be an aberration, I think it is a huge bargain.

Also, EVEN IF WE WOULD BE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR ASANTE, IT WOULD STILL ALLOW US TO SHOP HIM TO OTHER TEAMS FOR HUGE PICKS. The huge disparty between available cap space and available free agents is going to cause some teams to do insane things. I believe that there is a team out there that would pay the two first round draft picks and give Asante a long term deal that he likes. Its true that this is insane, but not every team is as smart and disciplined in free agency as the Patriots.

 

[PatsWorldChamps]

Samuel will be franchised. no doubt; no need for discussion.

 

[The Predator]

I don't know about everyone else but in regard to this situation. Asante has been good a sizeable portion of this season. I think he is well on his way to becoming a "good" CB. Imo, sometimes interception numbers can be misleading. So far he has shown good competance and understanding of the game and shown good instincts. He is no shutdown corner imo.

Now I keep throwing out the word 'good" because that is what he is. If you were an employer and you had to spend top money on a priority position in your company, and you didn't feel he was in the top 5 in what he did, would you pay him even though it would offset the rest of the employees in your workgroup? Mind you,this employee has only turned heads for less than a season.

Now if he goes and shuts down Harrison or Wayne in the biggest game of his career I know my opinion may change as well as the organization's as well. This may be the game they have been waiting for out of him. And if he does? Well then he will be expected to do it again on a bigger stage vs Berrian or Colston. Put your money where your mouth is Samuel.

I understand what you mean, but here is the problem. Champ Bailey sets the standard for top corner in the league. There is no one close to his level at this point and time. Anyone of his caliber is not attainable. We do not know when or if they will be. You got a guy who has played the position far beyond that of anyone else since Tt Law left. He is young and has shown flashes of brilliance all year. His picks are incredible. 10 is 10. He hasn't choked in the big games, in fact he has scored TDs. Yes. he is "good" as you say, but doesn't his value increase when the is only one Bailey?

 

[arrellbee]

Also, EVEN IF WE WOULD BE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR ASANTE, IT WOULD STILL ALLOW US TO SHOP HIM TO OTHER TEAMS FOR HUGE PICKS. The huge disparty between available cap space and available free agents is going to cause some teams to do insane things. I believe that there is a team out there that would pay the two first round draft picks and give Asante a long term deal that he likes. Its true that this is insane, but not every team is as smart and disciplined in free agency as the Patriots.

I think you make a really interesting point about available cap space and available free agents. Hadn't thought of it that way.

But, Beichick and Pioli seem to have passed on gambits such as this in the past. That would seem to make it a little unlikely, but they surprise us so many times by doing something different than they have in the past. It will be interesting to see how this scenario plays out.

I'm not sure anyone would give 2 number 1 picks. But if they do play that gambit I don't think they would be unhappy with one 1st round pick. Even that would be pretty nice.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

There is zero chance he leaves as a UFA. Z E R O. He re-signs or is Franchised. The Franchise money isn't too much because it's a one year thing not a long term contract you're stuck with. And Samuel wouldn't sign it quickly anyway, he'd look for a team to trade for him. Why do you think Branch said he'd play for NE this year under his old contract if they promised not to Franchise him ? The WR Franchise number is very big but the players all want a 5 year deal with a huge signing bonus.

Don't worry about the money, if we Franchise him he won't sign it unless he can't get a long term deal and trade worked out with anyone.

 

[mgteich]

He won't sign and he won't play. This is NOT like Branch. Samuel is NOT under contract. If bb wants, he can vreate a distraction through camp and then get a 3rd as a trade for us dropping the tag, from a team that Samuel designates. Otherwise, we let him go and get a 3rd or 4th as a comp pick.

Besides, I'd rather fanchise Graham.

There is zero chance he leaves as a UFA. Z E R O. He re-signs or is Franchised. The Franchise money isn't too much because it's a one year thing not a long term contract you're stuck with. And Samuel wouldn't sign it quickly anyway, he'd look for a team to trade for him. Why do you think Branch said he'd play for NE this year under his old contract if they promised not to Franchise him ? The WR Franchise number is very big but the players all want a 5 year deal with a huge signing bonus.

Don't worry about the money, if we Franchise him he won't sign it unless he can't get a long term deal and trade worked out with anyone.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

He won't sign and he won't play. This is NOT like Branch. Samuel is NOT under contract. If bb wants, he can vreate a distraction through camp and then get a 3rd as a trade for us dropping the tag, from a team that Samuel designates. Otherwise, we let him go and get a 3rd or 4th as a comp pick.

Of course he would sign rather than sit out. Branch was losing 1/16 of $1M every week. Samuel would be losing 1/16 of about $7M every week.

 

[mgteich]

IMHO, your analysis is incorrect. If he signs, he must play for whoever the patriots send him to for one year, and then go through the charade again. If he doesn't play, he gets to choose. Even sitting out a year is worth not being sent to Oakland or somewhere else where he doesn't want to go. And yes, he may or may not make up the money. Someone may have the stats, but I do not believe that most players sign the franchise contract.

Of course he would sign rather than sit out. Branch was losing 1/16 of $1M every week. Samuel would be losing 1/16 of about $7M every week.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

IMHO, your analysis is incorrect. If he signs, he must play for whoever the patriots send him to for one year, and then go through the charade again. If he doesn't play, he gets to choose. Even sitting out a year is worth not being sent to Oakland or somewhere else where he doesn't want to go. And yes, he may or may not make up the money. Someone may have the stats, but I do not believe that most players sign the franchise contract.

If he sits out they can franchise him again and he can sit out again. Never happened that I remember.

Oakland ? Nope. A Franchise and trade is a mutual option. The player must agree to a long term contract and the teams must agree to a trade. Both sides have to he happy or it doesn't get done.