Schefter: Asante got conditional guarantee he won't be franchised

[patsox23]

I am sure that the deal was agreed upon before Asante stepped on that airplane to Boston.

Then why the delay of 24 hours? Don't think so.

 

[dhamz]

A)This isn't the first time the Pats have done this. By numerous accounts Vinatieri got the same promise.

B)They had no intention of franchising him again anyway - they offerred him a LT deal with 13m guarenteed. The franchise tag next year + this year is 17m. They clearly think he is not worth that.

 

[Brady to Brown]

What does Belichick have now?

A good player that wants a ton of money. Why not just let him go out and earn it?

I understand they might get a high pick for him next year. But they could also get a Pro Bowl season this year.

The guy wants the big payday. Belichick wants the Super bowl.

If he has a Pro bowl season this year he should be free to get his money.

 

[PromisedLand]

You know what, guys?

It is time to stop worrying about next year and to start enjoying this year. Whatever concession the Patriots may or may not have given Samuel, it is a good thing that he will be with the team this season.

 

[amazinPats]

Then why the delay of 24 hours? Don't think so.

He still needed the conditioning run and the physical. It's just out of character for the team to be coerced into something over the course of 24 hours. I just don't believe that happened. It was agreed upon in advance before the trip.

 

[amazinPats]

B)They had no intention of franchising him again anyway - they offerred him a LT deal with 13m guarenteed. The franchise tag next year + this year is 17m. They clearly think he is not worth that.

Very plausible explanation.

I also think that they had agreed upon this before Asante made his flight to Boston.

 

[fgssand]

You know what, guys?

It is time to stop worrying about next year and to start enjoying this year. Whatever concession the Patriots may or may not have given Samuel, it is a good thing that he will be with the team this season.

BINGO.....he is on the team right now and we are a better team today then we were yesterday.

He also plays his heart out - again - to try to get paid - again.

 

[Aldogg]

You know what, guys?

It is time to stop worrying about next year and to start enjoying this year. Whatever concession the Patriots may or may not have given Samuel, it is a good thing that he will be with the team this season.

You hit the nail on the head.

Its all about this year. If this move leads to another Lombardi, thanks for playing Asante, you will get paid elsewhere while we have yet another Lombardi in the case. Next year is next year, right now I worry more about Sept. 9th and the Jets than 2008.

 

[QuiGon]

If you dont believe they will anyway then whats the difference that they made him happy after he signed.

Because it sets a precedent. Now the next guy in a similar situation will make the exact same demand.

 

[DaBruinz]

He said COULD, not WOULD

Schefter also reported that Asante would be in camp 2 weeks ago...

 

[PatsSteve1]

Even if this is true, it isn't the 1st time the Patriots lost a player and it won't be the last. If he hits the reported stipulations then the Patriots had fine year. And that doesn't have to even mean Samuel had a great year, too. But the Patriots are a better team this year with him. Next year is next year.

 

[QuiGon]

They are not allowed to discuss an extension, but I'm sure if they really wanted to get it done they could discuss it and what not without making it known.

I don't think that has happened... they had all spring to make a deal, but couldn't... Samuel isn't going to make an "unofficial" deal which denies him the UFA he so desperately covets, especially something NE could easily back out of if Samuel got injured...

 

[OhExaulted1]

Well Belichick was in charge last year and they could have made the same deal with Branch. If it's me I let him sit until Week 10, Franchise and trade him; probably getting a #1 pick. We still have him for the last 1/3 of the regular season, the playoffs and then can get something for him and control where he goes.

How about if he goes to the Jets next year for nothing ? Are the 10 games worth losing that control ?

First of all they could NOT make the same deal last year with Branch as he held out while still under contract.

As for making him sit until week 10, that's laughable nonsense. We wanted him, he signed. He's playin'. It's a one year deal. He'll either show us he's worth the big bucks or some other team will overpay him.

I beleive he's going to give his heart and soul to helping this team win this year and whatever happens happens after that.

I hope he plays well enough for us to franchise him again next year and get 2 1st RD picks with a bloated contract we would never match to a division rival.

 

[QuiGon]

A)This isn't the first time the Pats have done this. By numerous accounts Vinatieri got the same promise.

I don't think those account are accurate because I remember an awful lot of "will they or won't they franchise Vinatieri again?" talk last year.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

First of all they could NOT make the same deal last year with Branch as he held out while still under contract.

According to all reports, Branch was willing to play last year if they promised not to Franchise him. Not the same situation but the same deal.

I hope he plays well enough for us to franchise him again next year and get 2 1st RD picks with a bloated contract we would never match to a division rival.

Well, we all do, but this thread is about a supposed agreement that wouldn't allow us to Franchise him.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Because it sets a precedent. Now the next guy in a similar situation will make the exact same demand.

What precedent would that be?

If after you sign your tender and still demand something extra you might get it?

I dont see how this is a big deal.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

When I saw Asante's comments this morning that hinted at something different in signing now as opposed to earlier, I figured they might have reached an accommodation. I don't see the problem with this, never did, although I just don't understand why they couldn't have gotten 'er done a couple of weeks ago.

This is a win win situation. One thing it does is establish good will, like the kind that got a long term deal done between Alexander and Seattle after they franchised him. They cannot sign Asante to a long term deal before the last week in December. But they can talk about it 24/7 between now and then as well as between then and the start of free agency in March 2008. And he can't talk to anyone else until then.

They weren't going to get franchise compensation for him anyway due to his contract demands. Nobody ever does. Best case scenario they get a first rounder in 2009 or a second perhaps as part of a package that includes some day 2 fodder in 2008. Remember, what we got for Dieon was a first rounder in a draft still 7 months away, when it's easier for teams to part with one. Now they again have the option of getting the player signed long term if they really want to. And things, like attitudes, have a way of changing over time. He will potentially be easier to sign long term now given his take home pay for this season is almost like an advance on that deal. At any rate he'll be playing to impress whomever he signs with, and if it's not us we will get a 3rd rounder in 2009 and his best effort in 2007.

It's a game on the field, but it's also a business. And Belichick's business priority isn't to be a ball buster, it's to field the best possible team for the coming season ever mindful of the long range goal (to field a competitive team every season). This will not be seen as a cave in in the locker room, but as one of a growing number of welcome signs that most any player who does his job and would like to play here can find a way to work things out with them if they really want to and aren't totally unreasonable and they continue to talk to each other instead of allowing an agent to poison the waters by grandstanding in the media. That was what went terribly wrong in the Branch situation. Remember, they were willing in the end to give Deion his money, just not willing to deal with his agent.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

This is a win win situation.

Let's check back on that in 12 months. If he's playing for Mangina via UFA then it's only a win for us if we've won a 4th SB.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Let's check back on that in 12 months. If he's playing for Mangina via UFA then it's only a win for us if we've won a 4th SB.

We also dont know what terms are under the "agreement"

Would Mangini really want him at 9+ million with 20+ guaranteed?

Even Eric would be foolish to take all that on.

 

[OhExaulted1]

According to all reports, Branch was willing to play last year if they promised not to Franchise him. Not the same situation but the same deal.


Well, we all do, but this thread is about a supposed agreement that wouldn't allow us to Franchise him.

The reports I saw about Branch were almost exclusively about long term contract extensions, not franchise implications.

This "supposed" agreement hasn't been confirmed. If it does turn out to be accurate then a certain amount of plays and wins seems to be an acceptable way to negotiate.

I wouldn't "sit his ass out until week 10" as you suggested. He's back for this year. Why be bitter?