Asante Samuel Would Like to Return to New England, but 'It's Gonna Take a Lot' - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Good news: Asante Samuel wants to stay in New England. Bad news: the Pro Bowl cornerback told the Boston Globe that "it's gonna take a lot to make me and my family happy."

There's no disputing that Samuel is a top-5 NFL cornerback and will be one of the most sought after players in free agency. And with Nate Clements hauling in an eight-year, $80 million contract from the 49ers last off-season, there's no reason to think Samuel won't be looking for a similar payday.

"The [New England] fans love me and I love them back," he said. "The organization loves me and, hopefully, we can work it out." ... Asked how much he thinks he's worth, Samuel threw the question back at his interviewer: "You take a guess and see if you can hit it. It's no secret I'm looking for a big, huge, blockbuster deal."

The Patriots aren't averse to doling out huge deals (just ask Richard Seymour) but they're also not afraid to cut bait before making a long-term commitment to a player many around the league might think is worth it (just ask Ty Law).

On a scale of 1 to 10, Samuel rates his chances of returning to New England a 10, but if that falls through, there will be plenty of suitors lined up to pay him gobs of dough. Cornerback is one position where you can never have enough depth.