Eagles still trying to trade Asante Samuel

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 25, 2012, 7:00 AM EDT
AP

Last month we noted that the Eagles were looking to trade cornerback Asante Samuel. That hasn’t changed.

Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Eagles will try to trade Samuel before the draft.

The question is whether any team would give up anything of value for him. At age 31 and with a contract that calls for him to be paid $9.5 million this season, Samuel won’t be a hot commodity, even though he is coming off a season in which he started 14 games. Last year the Eagles came close to a deal with the Lions for Samuel, but this year the Lions may not have the cap space to take on Samuel’s contract.

Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman has compared the Eagles’ current cornerback situation with Samuel, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha to the Eagles’ former quarterback situation with Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. The Eagles got what turned out in hindsight to be great deals when they traded McNabb and Kolb. It may be tougher to find a team willing to give up a lot in a trade for Samuel.

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55 responses to “Eagles still trying to trade Asante Samuel”

  4. Not sure where he’ll end up, but wherever it is, they’ll have a better chance at winning…and he won’t have to play in front of a bunch of garbage like Philly is…

  6. He can still play at a high level but teams know that the Eagles have to trade him. They will get a 5th rounder this year and next. Assante can help a lot of teams but the Eagles have 4 good corners besides him.

  7. Teams can definitely use him, I’ll admit his tackling isn’t anything great but he does get a lot of INTs….IMO eagles should be able to get a 3 or 4 and a 5 for him or maybe trade him and a pick to move up in the draft to make sure they can grab a mark baron.

  9. Would love to see him back with that Pats. Asante would be an upgrade over the DBs the Pats had last year even if he doesn’t like to tackle. But usually once Bill moves on from a player it’s forever.

  11. I dont know why anyone would trade for him at this point because its clear that the Eagles will cut him if they cant. Either way, he wont be on the opening day roster.

  13. from an eagles fan. see you later. if n.e. knows it will make them a better team, they will do it. dosent matter who it is. i say he goes to n.e. for a 5th. round round pick and philly eat’s 1/2 of the 9 mill.

  16. There have been a number of players that have come back to the Patriots… Donte Stallworth for example.

    But Samuel’s claim to fame… INTs – is why he doesn’t fit the Patriots scheme. He gets his INTs by taking risks and diverging from a zone defense. That boosts his stats and helped boost his salary in free agency (he was never worth $8-10 million a year to Belichick in his scheme) but actually makes him a liability to similar defenses.

    There’s a market for Samuel if he accepts a salary cut and accepts and play the role a future team wants him to play.

    Sadly he might say the right things but once he’s on the field he may drop that, intent on picking up enough INTs to get another big payday in free agency next year.

    And chances are, if he does, another short sighted team
    like the Eagles will reward him again.

  19. Nice to hear the Lions at least were out kicking the tires. I can’t help but think, what if he WERE on the Lions last year! The made the Playoffs with a terrible secondary. I wonder if he could’ve made that differance last year?

  20. He is an upgrade to every single defense in the league. I can’t understand why they don’t want your “big plays” anymore either Asante.

  21. Good luck Philly. Guy doesn’t have a lot of value and Samuels still thinks he’s a top DB talent. He’ll get released.

  22. If Cleveland’s GM Heckert isn’t in the mix for this guy it makes me think they may be leaning to LSU’s Claiborne at #4. Or maybe not.

  24. Actually, Belichick is not averse to bringing back players, even if they left under not-so-great circumstances – (Deion Branch, Donte Stallworth). Assante would be a very welcome addition to New England’s secondary and would really help with McCourty getting his game back. I don’t think the Pats will be a player at 9.5 million, but I could see them sending a 4th or 5th rounder to the Eagles if they have a deal in place with Samuel to re-do his deal, something in the neighborhood of 3 years at 15 million, with 6 million guaranteed.

  26. Northerntanned, Asante is exactly what the Pats DON’T need right now, a CB who gambles. Not with their current safeties. He could do that when he was in NE because of Rodney.

  29. NO! NO! NO! STOP IT YOU FOOLS! SAMUEL IS NOT WORTH A DRAFT PICK. NOT EVEN A 7TH ROUNDER.

  32. for only 9.5 million you can have ……….im sure he is really looking forward to the pay cut he is looking at to leave the dream team. i think the eagles should keep him and pay him.

  34. Trade for whatever you can get. If you get nothing, release him, draft a corner and put most of Asante’s 2012 salary ($9.5) into LeSean McCoy’s new deal. Asante’s still a productive player, but the Eagles are not too thin at CB and the money they save by letting him go would be part of the contract that secures McCoy for the next 4-5 years.

  37. Eagles might have to wait for injuries. A fourth to replace the one they gave up for our new MLB would be ok. Don”t sell Asante short, he can still help some team, especially if that team has a run on injured cb”s

  39. The Lions need to upgrade that abortion they call a secondary in the worst way, but not at 9.5 mill for one player. All they need is someone who can actually tackle and/or at least turn their head as they’re getting burned. They could get two of those type players for 9.5 mill.

  41. Too high a salary. I doubt they will get much, if anything, for him at this point. I wish the salary cap system didn’t limit trades as much as it does.

  42. Old Andy trying to scam someone again. Guess the league maybe figuring out one thing- when you trade with Philly, you’re guaranteed to get screwed!

  43. Once again people who don’t know speak.

    22 is a top 5 corner over the past 5 years. In fact statistically he’s every bit as good in coverage as revis ( whether you like it not that is true) though revis is better because he’s a better tackler.

    Also the eagles if they can’t get what they want will NOT be releasing him.

    My guess is the eagles can get a high 3rd for him which would be a good deal for a 31 year old corner. But who knows if a team like the rams decides to take Blackmon and is stuck without a corner they may be willing to give up more

  44. Dude is built like an 8th grader. I don’t know why teams don’t run sweeps to his side every time he steps on the field.

  45. Why are the birds trying to deal this guy, he’s top 5-10 at his position. Guess the birds want to extend shady mccoy which is a pretty smart move. NFC East is gonna be a war next year!

  46. it’s much more similar to when they signed asante samuel and traded lito sheppard for a late round pick a year later. asante was so upset with the cornerback situation last offseason because he saw it happen before, with him being the replacer rather than the replacee. asante will likely be gone by or at the draft.

  48. Well Asante, you’ve been a bit of a pain in the neck during a lot of your time in Philly, but the Eagles have two playoff wins in 2008 where you made the biggest play of the game in each game, so thanks for that. Yeah, the season didn’t end in a super bowl win,but we’re the eagles, no seasons end in super bowl wins.
    I guess the point of this back-handed compliment is don’t let the idiot “i let angelo cataldi do all my thinking for me” segment of Eagles fans give you the impression you weren’t appreciated for your time here.

  49. Asante is more of a zone coverage cornerback and gambles a lot . At his age, that is gonna bite him from the behind. Eagles are best releasing him or trying to persuade him to take a pay cut.

  50. One of the NFL’s all-time worst tacklers. When he was in NE, I watched him consistently get burned on quick no-yard passes, when he’d dive at the receiver’s ankles and get beat for a first down. His INTs don’t nearly make up for his constant bad tackling.

  51. Asante isn’t old??? He’s a cornerback and rarely puts his body in harms way. Just because Tebow was stolen for a 4th doesnt mean the Eagles are gonna dump him for cheap. He’s 3rd round material. Asante is proven and would contribute immediately to another team. I don’t get this either DRC wasn’t even special last year. Yes Asante is a below average tackler but was exposed when everyone else around him couldn’t either. Point: Asante is still more than capable of performing highly.

  53. mungman69 says:
    Mar 25, 2012 7:24 AM
    He can still play at a high level but teams know that the Eagles have to trade him. They will get a 5th rounder this year and next. Assante can help a lot of teams but the Eagles have 4 good corners besides him.

    ———————————————————-
    Dude, Eagles have 2 good corners beyond Samuel and DRC isn’t that great outside of the slot. Let’s be realistic and not embellish everything. Your depth is not as fantastic as Eagles fans imagine.

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