Asante about to get paid?
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by MegECass110
The Boston Herald (and NFL Network) are reporting that Patriots corner Asante Samuel plans on signing his 1-year franchise tender and joining the team sometime next week. Samuel, designated as the Pats' franchise player after the 2006 season, has been out of training camp and holding out since spring. The Patriots play at the Carolina Panthers Friday night. Tom Brady is expected to play, returning from California after the birth of his son Jonathan (I nearly wrote an article about Brady's child, but figured none of you would care much, unlike my best friend and I who have been obsessed with the size of Bridget Moynahan's stomach all summer. I digress).
Samuel is a key member of the Pats' secondary. The 26-year-old tied (with Denver CB extraordinnaire Champ Bailey) for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions in 2006, and scored twice in the playoffs on interception returns. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2003 Draft out of Central Florida, Samuel has 16 career interceptions and 43 passes defensed. His rookie contract that ran out after 2006 paid him a total of about $2 million. The one-year franchise tender, comprised of the averages of the yearly salaries of the top 5 paid players at his position, comes out to $7.79 million guaranteed. So if Samuel signs the tender and gets hurt, he'll make four times as much as he's made over the course of his 4-year-career. Samuel has threatened to not sign the tender, and sit out until Week 10 to earn an accrued season under the NFL pension plan.
While holding out, Samuel has been working out in Florida. If he returns next week, he gives himself two weeks to prepare for the season opener on September 9. It's been rumored Samuel was originally looking for $25 million guaranteed. For some perspective, Colts DE Dwight Freeney earned $32 million guaranteed with his new contract with the Colts, the largest contract ever for a defensive player.
I understand Samuel has outplayed his rookie contract by leaps and bounds. I understand 10 interceptions is a lot (the number is deceiving, but 10 ints is 10 ints, I guess). I understand the rest of Pats secondary is either old or unproven. I can even understand Samuel looking for Champ Bailey money. But not THAT much. He said his was "disrespected" by what the Patriots were originally offering, but it seems as though he has softened his position a bit.
Meanwhile, in training camp, Randall Gay has been impressive manning Samuel's left side of the field, and taken advantage of the opportunity. The LSU product was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2004, and started Super Bowl XXXIX against the Eagles.
The Brady links are hilarious. I highly suggest them.
