Typically, the best chance to get a free agent signed comes when the player is in the building. After he leaves, the likelihood drops.
When he starts visiting other teams, it drops even more.
In the case of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, the fact that he’ll be visiting the Saints doesn’t remove the 49ers from the category of serious contenders for his services. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Asomugha has simply decided to take other visits as the process of picking a new team plays out.
It’s unclear which other visits he’ll take. Earlier in the week, we reported that the Cardinals, Texans, and Broncos also are interested in Asomugha.
For Asomugha, he already has a head start on a poor market. With former Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith getting the most so far at $6 million per year from the Chiefs, Asomugha already has $4 million in hand from the Eagles, which he’ll keep on top of whatever he gets from his next team.
That reality could be prompting teams to try to squeeze Asomugha into taking less in the first year of a multi-year deal.
Regardless, if the numbers were great, Asomugha and plenty of other free agents already would be signed.