Asante Samuel - the other side of the trade debate

The Washington Redskins explored a trade for New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel. That's not news. The Redskins would trade a sixth round pick for a top ten water boy. Take a look at New England fan reaction to a potential Samuel trade for the other side of the debate.

Hog Heaven posted a story comparing Samuel with Champ Bailey, the gold standard of cornerbacks in an article Does Samuel Pass the Bailey Test? The story was picked up by Patriots Planet, a fan message board similar to The Warpath and ExtremeSkins. Patriots' fan reaction is very revealing. Undertaker #59 wrote " I just hope they DO trade Samuel come Saturday. Champ Bailey he is not." For more, go to the Patriots Planet thread here.

Photo: http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/54fulltiltfulltime/NFL/27800

Asante Samuel wants this much

Redskins fans have a more than passing interest in Asante Samuel's negotiations with the Patriots. Yahoo Sports snipped a story from The Boston Globe providing the numbers, and how far apart the two sides are.

"Samuel's representatives were seeking a contract that included about $30 million to be paid out in the first three years of the deal.

"The Patriots were offering a package that averaged around $6 million per season, and although it is not known how much money would be paid out in the first three years, one thing is clear: It wasn't close to the $30 million Samuel was seeking . . . ."

It seems Mr. Samuel is angling for a deal akin to Nate Clements' contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Can't blame the man for trying. The Patriots' offer looks about the same as Denver's deal with Dre' Bly. Can't blame them for trying, either.

Clements signed an eight year $80 Million deal with the 49ers on the first day of free agency. $22 Million was guaranteed. Bly agreed to a five year $33 Million contract extension with the Denver Broncos.

The Redskins did not pursue Clements because of the price tag. In Samuel, they could face the same issue. If Asante wants to take a Dre' Bly-type deal, won't he be inclined to stay with New England? Stay tuned.

I hear every front office in the NFL put up a 49er poster to throw darts at.

Photo: Asante Samuel, wwwnflplayers.com

Joe Gibbs to agitated fans: cool it!

The coach-in-chief sought to calm fans by assuring that the Redskins are just doing their homework by inviting top draft prospects to interviews at Redskin Park in Ashburn, VA. Visits by Calvin Johnson, JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn and other first day draft prospects led fans and bloggers to wonder what that could mean for players on the roster.

Gibbs called the activity "due diligence." "We have brought in every player that we felt like would be a first-round player," Gibbs said. "We brought in a top running back. Does anyone here think that we are going to entertain drafting a running back? I don't think so."

The Redskins have floated so may scenarios for the draft that no one outside of Redskins Park really knows what to expect. All the vibes suggest that the Skins would like to move their sixth pick of the first round in exchange for a player. Asante Samuel is a rumored target -- if the Redskins can sign him for a number closer to Dre' Bly's than Nate Clements'. Completing a trade with Chicago for Lance Briggs is not out of the question, although I hope that one fades away.

I bet "due diligence" calls are burning up phone lines between lots of teams. You shouldn't expect announcements of big deals until draft day (April 28) when we see how Messrs. Russell, Quinn, Johnson and Adams go in the first four picks.

Photo: www.flickr.com from here.

The draft is money

If George Preston Marshall kept the Boston Braves in Boston rather than moving them to Old D.C., perhaps Robert Kraft would own the Washington Patriots. I admire Kraft's approach to building a championship roster. It couldn't be more different than Daniel Snyder's. Where Snyder uses draft picks as currency to make trades happen, Kraft hoards them like gold. Snyder's cheap currency approach has never worked. It's the gold bug that's getting results.

There are rumors that Snyder is nosing around Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel to boost the Redskins' secondary. Thanks to promiscuously trading away draft picks, the Redskins are thin at currency to grease the deal. You might call them (wait for it . . . wait for it) thin Skinned.

It would make no any difference, anyway. The Patriots have a treasure chest of picks in their draft vault. One more pick, even the Skins high draft pick, isn't needed, not when you already have ten in the 2007 draft. To wit:

Round 1 24th pick (from Seattle)

Round 1 28th pick

Round 3 91st pick (Round 2 pick traded to Miami)

Round 4 127th pick

Round 5 171st compensatory pick (Round 5 165th pick traded to Oakland)

Round 6 180th pick (from Arizona)

Round 6 202nd pick

Round 6 208th compensatory pick

Round 6 209th compensatory pick

Round 7 247th compensatory pick (Round 7 238th pick traded to Miami)

Source: about.com found here.

The Patriots are notorious for managing their salary structure. Are they really going to sign two first round draft choices? And the biggie, do they even want to grapple with the salary demands of a number six first rounder? The Patriots, with draft bullion galore, are far more interested in re-signing Mr. Samuel. Unless the Redskins throw in players of value and 2008 picks.

Be afraid, Redskins fans. Be very afraid.

Draft Trivia #1: If the Bears accepted the Redskins trade offer for Lance Briggs, they not only would have the Redskins' first round #6 pick, but would also have the Skins' second round 37th pick, acquired through the New York Jets. I think the Bears made a mistake (for themselves) by not taking Snyder's offer and running out the door. I'm grateful to them, though.

Draft Trivia #2: If the Redskins hadn't frivolously traded away their third round pick for TJ Duckett, they would be better positioned to counter Chicago's counter-offer for Lance Briggs. Not that I think it's a good idea, but trading a first and third round pick for a sure starter makes more sense than a third round pick for an "insurance policy."

Photo: Robert Kraft, www.columbia.edu