The long, drawn-out contract negotiations between the Patriots and cornerback Asante Samuel show no signs of being resolved soon, as Samuel, the team's franchise player, said Monday he'll sit out until November."I'm not coming to camp," he said. "I'm not showing up until the 10th week [of the season]. I feel unappreciated. The way they're treating me is just wrong."
Samuel can choose to sign a one-year, $7.79 million guaranteed contract any time he wants, but so far he has indicated he has no intention of playing under that deal, instead seeking a contract with more guaranteed money. The reason he would report in the 10th week is that a player who skips more than 10 weeks of the season is not considered to have accrued a year of service, which can affect everything from his pension to benefits to future free agency.
Samuel is a good player, and his absence would negatively impact the Patriots' defense, but New England will be just fine without him. If Samuel is demanding a contract like the eight-year, $80 million deal that cornerback Nate Clements signed with the San Francisco 49ers, the Patriots should tell him to keep holding out.
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Well, that might mean that the Pats get a mid-season infusion into their secondary who will be looking to show people that he's all that and a bad of chips in order to show is contract value. A playoff team that gets it together in December with healthy players and a history or playing in the postseason is a good bet.
I think that ASSHAT is overrated (picks come from QBs throwing at you) and not even a top tier guy. Look at his coverage skills and you can see that he doesn't shut people down.
Posted at 12:00PM on Jun 5th 2007 by rln2433
2. WE CONTINUALLY TRY TO TEACH THE 'TEAM' CONCEPT TO KIDS. SOME ACTUALLY GET IT BUT AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION AND CAN READ-THEY SEE CRAP LIKE PRO SPORTS FIGURES (THAT THEY MAY HAVE LOOKED UP TOO) PULL THE 'SPORTS IS A BUSINESS' ROUTINE AND WHAT GOES THROUGH THE MINDS OF KIDS? WE MAY AS WELL TEACH A POODLE TO PLAY THE TRUMPET AS INSTILL THE TEAM CONCEPT.
I, FOR ONE, SAY--LOCK EM OUT---FOR THE SAKE OF THE TEAM AND THE FUTURE
Posted at 6:45PM on Jun 5th 2007 by LARRY
3. $$$7.79 million . Guaranteed. He feels unappreciated!!! Please do not allow this man to play another down in a Patriots uniform. Working men wont make half that in their entire life, not even close. I'm sick of these arrogant types oblivious to the average mans wages. Lose this Loser Mr. Kraft
Posted at 7:18PM on Jun 5th 2007 by ray
4. Let him play on special teams & in some of their defense packages as an extra back the last 6 weeks & nothing more. He really isn't that good.
Posted at 10:05PM on Jun 5th 2007 by Ken
5. Can the Patriots lock him out after week 10 and that will prevent him from getting his year of service ????? anyone know 100% ???? I personally do not think he is a shut down corner i think he just got lucky last year with the ball being under thrown or right too him nor do i think he is being underappreciated by a contact of one year at just under 8 million per year I am also so sick of these big ass cry babbies cryin about there millions they make a year if there wasnt any sports they will be flipping burgers so tired of they way they act they also think everyoneowes them something and the law does not apply to them go try doing what half these players arrested do and see where you end up
Posted at 11:42PM on Jun 5th 2007 by Ken
6. Yes he just another over rated player . But the pats teach the team concept thats bull tom brady is the best q b of our era and hes paid like he won only one super bowl not three the pats are cheap to thier players they don't mean what they say and most men no will not make that kind of money in thier life time but alot of them will never know what it is like to be HIT by a 300 lb JOCK either the system that pros go by is that u can be parylized blow out a knee how many men live that day in day out ???? thats the reason they want a big contract if you were at any job ,,, security is all anyone wants the PATS pay free agents more that come from outside thier organization better than they do thier own players that came from the draft .......
they push players out all the time that they drafted i am a pats fan but i am no fool either cheap to thier own is what they are ...........
P.S. by the way is alex rod who plays baseball really worth a QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS NO NO NO but thats the market we as fan help't to create but paying paying paying and i don't believe no one should be paid a million dollars to play anything OH soccor is MR BECK worth a QUARTER OF A BILLIOB DOLLARS NO NO NO fools is what we as fans are not that the average working man can take his family to any sporting event .............. is clmene really worth a MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK NO NO NO !!!!!!!!!!
WAKE FANS we r the reason for these high players contracts or else they wouldn't get it .... so keep buying those two hundred dollar jersey and 50 dollars hats but you don't complain then ...........
Posted at 11:57PM on Jun 5th 2007 by jim
7. In my opinion all pro- and i use the word loosely are way over paid to begin with. They should have max scale of $5M for the best players on the team and not some idiot whose not even worth $7.7M. Put him on waivers and get rid of him. The Pats aren't cheap just smart money spending. You don't hear Brady crying about his salary. they should also get rid of all the over 300# slobs out there that make the game look like a bunch sumo wrestlers.
Posted at 12:49AM on Jun 6th 2007 by Russ Hauber
8. They should trade him for a player who cares about winning the Super Bowl
Posted at 1:29AM on Jun 6th 2007 by justme
9. So much for the Patriots mystique.
I thought all the players up there bowed down and cowered in front of Belichick and Kraft.
Posted at 3:00AM on Jun 6th 2007 by Jason S.
10. Could somebody underappreciate ME for 7 million?
Posted at 6:03AM on Jun 6th 2007 by Dan
11. get rid of him,make him suffer,trade him for a 1st round pick to some crappy team like Minnesota or St Louis,,,Pats have a very good team this year,,,Im sure there are A LOT of franchise palyers on other teams who would take a pay cut to play with the team this year becasue they are a favorite to win the Super Bowl,,I guess Mr. Samuel is too selfish to win a superbowl,,$7 million not enough??
f that was the Jets, Mangini would call Tony Soprano and have that problem fixed another way..
Posted at 8:30AM on Jun 6th 2007 by James
12. trade his ass to KC and get ty law back! he is a pretty good corner i would say he is delta oneil good but not ty law and nate clements good! see giving him a 6 year 38 million contract but that is about the max i would offer remeber the pats had a very weak secondary last year after wilson and harrison were gone it was even worse as harrison seems to have been playing with nagging injuries! look for eugene wilson to move to corner with ellis hobbs and tory james in the mix! and meriweather and harrison at safety if merriweather can step up in his rookie season! if not look for some mid season adjustments maybe tory james moving over to safety or james sanders (a harrison understudy) to step up big!
trade samuel and get some value for him like we did with branch! if he wants ty law money he better play like ty law for more than one season!
Posted at 8:52AM on Jun 6th 2007 by herbie
13. Assante Samuel is a byproduct of a great system. Coach Bill put Assante in situations where he had to make plays. I do not believe the coaching staff was totally sold on his cover defense. 8 million is a very fair pay. At this point New England should trade Assante to any team foolish to pay Assante more than the tendered offer. Give Coach Bill another first round pick and a million dollar bonus to develop another defensive back ( now, that would be money better spent ). New England WILL win the next Super Bowl with or without Assante.
Posted at 9:24AM on Jun 6th 2007 by Chad
14. A young man with some talent has been talked to in his ear by too many friends on his payroll, or his agent... with Tom Brady and the Coach , he wants to thumb his nose and disrespect the team this way, when he isn't even a superstar ? If I was the team, I would tell him the offer is good for one more week, then removed... and fine him for every day, week missed and then tell him that they will sent retirement papers to his house , to forward to the NFL offices... Use the power of the press and let the Joe 6 pack who tailgates in the lot and 'sweats' for his paycheck have something to say for someone turnign down $7 million plus to play for a former world champion who always has a shot...
Send em' some enlistment papers for the Army and Iraq, let em see how valauable he is driving a truck for halliburton and the oil we're fighting the rest of the world for...
Posted at 9:41AM on Jun 6th 2007 by Lex
15. He is just scared to come to camp due to the arrival of Moss. He doesn't want to get exposed for the very average cover skills he possesses.
Posted at 9:41AM on Jun 6th 2007 by John
16. #7 are you from a different country, or just a product of the American educational system?
Posted at 10:21AM on Jun 6th 2007 by Gaia826
17. GET RID OF THE OVER PAYED SUCKER, AND PUT THAT MONEY ON LINE BACKERS.
WJB
Posted at 10:54AM on Jun 6th 2007 by WILIAM BONDS
18. LINE BACKERS AND OFFENSIVE LINE, RUNNING BACKS, ANYTHING BUT ANOTHER OVERPAID CORNER
Posted at 10:56AM on Jun 6th 2007 by bosn1bonds
19. ROFLOL!!! "11. Could somebody underappreciate ME for 7 million?" I'm with you, Dan! A friend and I were hoping Belichick would let him warm the bench (or practice squad) for those 6 weeks; then slap him with restricted free agent next year just for fun! and maybe the next year, and the next...
Yeah, maybe if he'd had more than 1 good season under his belt they'd have considered it. Does he really think (ever?) that sitting out is going to improve his "marketability"???
Posted at 2:36PM on Jun 6th 2007 by Cat
20. I don't blame the man for holding out. He's been slapped with the franchise tag which keeps him from cashing in on his rightful chance at a large signing bonus. His holding out is a shrude business tactic, which in the long run will benefit him a hell of a lot more than it will the patriots. Anyone that preaches the team first attitude over the payday, must not have been paying attention to the whole premise behind having the salary cap under the collective bargaining agreement. This is how business is the NFL works as defined by both the players association and the owners. Samuel is asserting his rights within that system. Like it or not....
Posted at 3:07PM on Jun 6th 2007 by Mac