What's the Deal?

Well, Samuel signed his franchise tender. Or, as one reader links below, Asante signed a one-year contract - at this point the terms seem to be used interchangeably in the media, and I, gentle reader, will have to ask my cap/contract mavens whether the tender is in any sense modifiable. This is a very important point. Since Asante's is at $7.79 Million for one year (the average of the top five cornerback contracts in the league,) his "$7.79 Million Contract" sure looks like the plain old franchise tender.

But wait, there's more! In Samuel's case, the franchise tender came with "assurances" that he would not be franchised again next year, if certain conditions are met (such as a number of team wins, or an amount of playing time.) All this according to Adam Schechter, of NFL Network.

Say wha'? I always thought that the tender was basically a cookie-cutter one-year deal. You want to play in the NFL, you play at this amount for this team. Life sucks, you've been franchised. Badda bing, badda boom.

All of which leads me to believe that what Samuel has signed (and looks so happy about having signed,) is actually a one-year contract -- assuming of course that the two are in fact different things (with a one-year franchise tender being essentially a species of contract.)

The deadline for multiyear deals was some time ago, so now the team had the option of signing a single year deal at or above the tag amount ($7.79 M), or letting Samuel go, presumeably for compensation in trade. So I suppose the team did the former, and signed a one-year deal.

Or, it is also possible that Samuel's side is just happy to see it all wind down, and to get down to football, and Schechter et al. think they have the real scoop. If so, we get a replay of all this a year from now. But you'd think Schechter's credibility is more important to him than claiming a scoop, especially if the "scoop" is a wholesale fabrication.

Eh well. We'll see.

What's important is Asante is back, Moss, Stallworth, Welker, and Adalius "96 Tears" Thomas are in town, this team looks scary this year, and Mr. Lombardi's namesake has been too long a-wanderin'.

Two weeks, ladies and gentlemen!

Asante Samuel Signs!!!! (Not!)

Reports that Asante Samuel has signed his franchise tender seem slightly exaggerated.

As of last night, the 27th, the news was...

Asante has shown up in Gilette Stadium
Asante has taken his physical
Asante is back with the team
Asante has signed his tender...

Then we heard...

Asante has not signed the tender
Asante wants the team to promise not to franchise him in 08, and....

most puzzlingly...

Asante has said he would sign the tender Tuesday, whatever the outcome.

All of which leads me to ask the perenniel question,

WTF?

The only sense I can make out if it is that, since the Pats have adamantly refused to promise anything of the sort, Asante's side is offering something in exchange for the Pats not re-franchising him.

One possibility would be that Asante plays for less this year, in exchange for a promise not to franchise him next year. Another possibility is that he signs said one year deal this year, in which a no franchise clause kicks in at certain points usually used as escalators, for example, playing time or interceptions.

I don't think the Pats take the 08 tag off the table, without getting something back.

Well, theoretically, Samuel comes back today (Tuesday the 28th.) If not, bear in mind that Asante Samuel is an anagram for a sealant: me, us; but also for

Satan? Um, lease;
Team anus seal;
and of course,
Emulate an ass.

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