DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Asante Samuel Unhappy in New England

Patriots' Samuel makes a statement

By Adam Schefter
NFL Analyst


(April 4, 2007) -- A near perfect offseason in New England now is being interrupted with a reminder that not everything is ideal in Patriots Nation.

Free-agent cornerback Asante Samuel, whom the Patriots slapped with their franchise tag in February, is so displeased and discouraged with his contract talks with the team that he now is open to the idea of playing elsewhere and will seek a trade.

"This is to let everybody know that I'm not happy anymore and things are not going well," Samuel said in his first public comments since the Patriots franchised him. "At first I thought it was going well, but it's not.


Asante Samuel feels his value is higher than the Patriots realize.
"We have a difference of opinion in my value. They think I'm worth one price and the other teams think I'm worth a lot more. If a long-term deal can't be done at fair numbers for me and New England, then I want to be traded."

If a long-term deal cannot get done with New England and a trade to another team does not happen, Samuel said he also is prepared to take steps he would rather not and sit out this season.

"If it's best for me and my family," Samuel said, "I will do that. Absolutely."

Patriots spokesman Stacey James declined to comment.

However this plays out, New England looks as if it is going to have to address this potential problem after solving others this offseason with the additions of linebacker Adalius Thomas, running back Sammy Morris, tight end Kyle Brady and wide receivers Wes Welker, Donte' Stallworth and Kelley Washington.

"We want to get something done and my hope is we will," said Samuel, who intercepted 12 passes last season, including two he returned for touchdowns in the playoffs against the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets.

"But if it doesn't get done, I'm prepared to do what's best for me and my family. It's not what I want to do, but what I have to do. They're handling their business the way they feel they have to and I'm going to do the same."

Samuel now would like to be able to strike a deal with another team.

Problem is, any team that signs Samuel to an offer sheet -- and the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins are among the many teams seeking upgrades at the position -- would have to compensate the Patriots with two first-round picks.

A team also could arrange a sign-and-trade deal, but it's unlikely that New England would be willing to deal the 26-year-old Samuel within its division, although the Patriots once did so with free-agent running back Curtis Martin.

"The rest of the league knows I'm worth more than New England is offering, but they're scared of that (compensation)," Samuel said. "But I want to get this over with bad enough that I'm willing to work with any team to get a fair long-term deal done."

Samuel's frustration goes beyond the limitations that other teams are facing in trading for him. He said that when the offseason started, the Patriots told him they would take care of him with "an elite contract." But in Samuel's opinion, no "elite contract" has been forthcoming at a time when San Francisco shelled out $80 million for free-agent cornerback Nate Clements.

Also, Samuel has watched the Patriots reward players such as Thomas with big money while he has not been offered a similar deal for his role in helping the Patriots win two Super Bowls and come within a few minutes of reaching another last season.

Now, after contract talks stalled again, and the sides remain far apart, Samuel felt he had to push this issue from the background to the forefront.

"I've been patient, haven't said anything bad, haven't said anything negative," Samuel said. "But my patience has run out. Business is business. They handled their business their way and I'm handling my business my way. I hope not, I really hope not, but it's looking more and more like it could be time to move on."

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I'd like to have him, but the only way we could trade for him is offering draft picks, which I don't want to do.

Welcome to Cleveland!!!
well thats what I wish.. lol..

guys like him are easy to please, just write him the check and he'll play. thats all he's seeking. anything else he could possibly want he'd allready have in NE.

Hey great idea Toad. Send him up here. He'll make oh let me see now maybe $150K as top DB. But he get's to stay in shape rather then sitting.

Gotta love it, here these guys that are franchised get to make Millions, they argue over a few million more (Ya ya I wish I could too) and threaten to sit a year and LOSE millions? Great logic there.

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Every NFL team has the right to retain at least ONE player while compensating that player extremely well. Don't like it? Go play in the CFL...............

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Do you remember Javon Walker with the packers? sure he wasn't slapped with the tag...but he wanted what all these tagged players want...a long term deal...cuz this is football...not basketball or baseball...u go down like gary baxter and end ur career...all that "money" is GONEEEEE....u get zip just ur signing bonus....i don't blame the players for being so bitchy.....

Do i like them doing this? NOP...but i don't blame them...

I would offer our third for him...If they don't take it..oh well..

It saves us using a 2nd on a rookie CB

Speak the truth!!! Its pathetic that players complain about $. Briggs is earing 7 mil for 1 year. Most people would kill eachother for 1 mil! What a ungrateful (Insert word here)

So go play for the 7 million this year and sign the big bucks next. You get hurt ? Then complain to the NFLPA (Union). Thats what real workers do.. Good grief.. the team LET him become the player he his while paying him GOOD money. A lot of my peers make more than me...and I make a lot more than others.. That's life. AND.. Baxter has already gotten paid more than most of us make in a lifetime and will get LOTS more if we have to give him an injury settlement. How much is enough ??

The players biggest beef is that they are missing the big payday (bonus money) that comes with a FA contract.

If the one year is a concern, the player can get an insurance policy to cover a career ending injury.

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If these players were honestly getting screwed, then I'd feel differently. The fact is, they aren't.

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Debatable big guy...VERY much so...

Forget the 7M compared to our measely 100K salaries...

This is football...A dangerous career ending injury type of game...THEY KNOW IT...

U can "Tag" me twice in a row...But don't even tell me that every single one of us if put in this situation would not want the Long Term deal with the Guaranteed $$$...That's the name of the game...And with the Cap as is...It's the ONLY GAME...7M in one year with the potential of career ending injury is leaving one helluva lot of ching on the table...

NOONE TAGGED WILL LIKE IT...Especially when the Long Term deals are so far off in negotiations...Every single one of these guys wants the long term deal done in leui of the "Tag"...

It's win-win...Helps the team cap wise in the immediate future...Secures the player u thought so highly of to "Tag" in the 1st place...Helps the player with long term security...

U and me would do the same thing if Tagged and negotiations are either slooow or low balled...

It's the "Nature of the Beast that the Franchise Tag has created in this Cap Era...

Not sure of the legality issues but I will draw a comparison with Soccer!

A number of years ago a player called Bosman wanted to move to another soccer club - his contract had expired with his current club and another team wanted to employ him. His current club would not allow him to leave without receiving a transfer fee so he took them to court and won! Nowadays as soon as a soccer players contract expires he is free to join whoever he wants - basically allowing him to pick the highest bidder!

Now I will play devils advocate! Of course it is a case of greed on the players part, greed AND security for his future. But it seems unfair to me that the teams have ALL the power in this negotiation. If he performs below expectations or is deemed replaceable the team allow him to enter free agency. To warrant the franchise tag the player has done very well for the team. In both situations he has a contract that presumably ends on a particular date. It seems the reverse of the 'carrot and stick' effect?

You can argue whether the franchise tag is punishment! but it clearly is otherwise the player would welcome it with open arms! The players contract has expired, yet he is held in what can only be described as a golden handcuff type of business arrangement which can be applied indefinately??

The legal side of who owns who, may be different in the NFL? and if I am wrong then please explain!? but from an outsider looking in it seems very unfair!

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"This is to let everybody know that I'm not happy anymore and things are not going well," Samuel said in his first public comments since the Patriots franchised him. "At

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Waaaaaa...I'm glad you let us working people know that we were so worried about your happiness, as you vacationed in the bahama's....tuffen up ya whinnie cry baby....Spoiled cry baby. too freaken bad. I dont want him in cleveland, I want football players here, real fottball player...

I'd love to have him here, but I have a really really dumb question..

When someone is Tagged,, isn't the tagging team required to pay them the average of the 5 highest players in the league at his position.. One would think that with Clements getting a deal like he did, the average would have gone up substantially right?

Truth be told, I thought that Samuels was better than Nate,, Both being solid, but samuels just being better in my mind.. But no way do we even consider giving up 2 firsts for him... Please don't do that Phil.

Either way, doesn't Samuels stand to make aboiut $8 million this year either way.. I know that to you and me, that's a load of money, but to the players today, that may not be so much when you look at it over the life of a players career.

The problem is that in your example, company 'y' is really not a separate company...it's a division within company 'x' and company 'x' is the NFL.

He has all the right in the world to leave the company (NFL). There are tons of other options if he wants to leave the company...problem is...only the NFL company offers the kind of money that he wants...and is willing to walk away from.

If you worked for company 'x' and your buddy in division 3 was making more money...what would you do? You'd deal with it.

There are two huge reasons why you cannot compare these clowns to the average Joe:

#1 - As stated above, in reality there IS no company 'y'...so those comparisons are out the window;

#2 - Yes, the magnitude of the money IS relevant. In part because only ONE company offers that kind of money. The ONE company that put you in this position in the first place. We are talking about huge money here...it's not like he's getting screwed.

Also, using the "best for me and my family" argument is more ridiculous than BPA.

The best for you and your family is to take the measely $7 MILLION dollars (or whatever it is) and buy some insurance with some of that money.

Lastly, what do these guys think when taking their issue to the media? Good God, we are talking about more money...4x the money?...than most people will make in a lifetime.

Yeah...I feel your pain. Please...go to another company and make it as successful as the NFL...build it for 1500 players and let them waltz around as if they own the place and actually did something to help...then give them the opportunity to take HUGE money out of the company after a few years of doing their job right and getting paid HUGE money while doing it.

It's classic America today. I don't like the rules...you know, the rules that apply to EVERYONE...and that MY UNION agreed to. But, I don't like them. So...I want to change them. Because they don't work for me. Oh?, Ok. Let's change them...but just for you. Yeah, right.

Lastly, people need to remember that companies do not exist to employ people. They exist to make money. If they don't make money, they won't exist. Sometime over the past 30 years, that concept has been completely forgotten. (Sorry about that last rant.)

Problem is, any team that signs Samuel to an offer sheet -- and the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins are among the many teams seeking upgrades at the position -- would have to compensate the Patriots with two first-round picks.


GMAB..if we were one player away I wouldn't care..yeah I would..NO FREAKING WAY would I give up TWO FIRST ROUNDS PICKS for him..

jc...

Someone clarify this for me.

He was franchise tagged, which means if they don't strike a long term deal and he accepts the franchise he gets I think like 7.8 million for 2007 right? Then after the season he is a FA again, or gets franchised again?

If the above is right, then who in their right mind can say that sitting out and collecting $0.00 is better for your family than just playing through the year for 7.8 million.

I'm sorry to sound like a realist, but maybe instead of sitting out a year, you should go work as a house painter, or a gas station attendant, or a dish washer for the year and see what REAL wages are like, and realize that 7.8 mil is more than 70% of Americans will make in their entire life.

Give me 1.8 mill and I'll never complain..

Well put Bomber.

This is NOT the NBA!!! the 7.8 mill is not guranteed if he goes down....only his signing bonus would be guranteed.....i'm not sure why it's so hard to understand...

If your a computer engineer - its likely you could see 40 years of service, so I do not see how you can compare the two?

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Forget the 7M compared to our measely 100K salaries...

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Dude you need to get a new job...How do you live on so little? Wait, I know you have a sugar momma.

The fact is these players have no one to blame but themselves. They let their union negotiate this into their contract. I understand their careers are realitively short and what most of these francised players depend on this money to sustain their lifestyle for the rest of their lives.

I wonder if there wasn't a jealousy factor that played a part in allowing this in the contract. This only effects a very small amount of players where as the vast majority never see anything near this kind of money.

j/c

Understanding the Difference
• A club can designate one franchise player or one transition player in any given year.
• The salary level offer by a player's old club determines what type of franchise player he is.

• An "exclusive" franchise player -- not free to sign with another club -- is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries at the player's position as of April 16, or 120 percent of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is greater.

• If the player is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries of last season at his position, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, he becomes a “non-exclusive” franchise player and can negotiate with other clubs. His old club can match a new club's offer, or receive two first-round draft choices if it decides not to match.

Sponsored Links

The signing period for non-exclusive franchise players to sign with new clubs is March 3 through November 9 (10th week of the season).

linkage


In Samuel's case it amounts to $7.790 Million on a one year deal and it is an immediate cap hit to NE and not like a regular contract salary.

He will get game checks in the 450 THOUSAND dollar range. Thats 450K every week at payday. One weeks pay will be almost more than he made all of last year. Almost a half million per game. To play football. Dangerous ? Sure.. go ask a cop or fireman how much he makes.

okay...well in that case nevermind


Anyways...in the end they do want a long term deal....that is the problem a far as i see it..