A few days ago, Asante Samuel said that he wanted to play in a place where he was wanted and yesterday Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie did everything he could to show Samuel that he was wanted here in Philadelphia.
During the Eagles Thursday morning practice, Lurie spent much of it standing next to Samuel, talking to him, hugging him and treating him like he was the owner’s favorite player on the team. Afterwards Lurie made it a point to single out Samuel, then verbally praise him and let him know that he was wanted here in Philadelphia.
“Yeah, well at first I said to him until you start yapping at the offense, you’re not all the way back”, Lurie told the media in his State Of Eagles news conference. “Then you heard him the rest of the day there. What a great guy, terrific cornerback. I think in terms of playing with [CB] Nnamdi [Asomugha] and DRC and the rest, talk about being opportunistic, he’s finally going to have a situation where they’re going to have to throw the ball in his direction. This is sort of a unique situation for Asante that way. He’s a great guy to have. We’ll see how it goes as we go forward, but it’s great to have him back.”
This was a good move. It doesn’t cost anything to let a player know he’s wanted. Samuel is a Diva, but he’s a Diva who can play. As far as I’m concerned, he’s one of the best defensive players in the National Football League. Even with his inconsistent tackling, Samuel is extremely valuable.
The veteran cornerback is one of the main reasons the Eagles made it to the 2009 NFC Championship game after the 2008 NFL season. He picked off a Tavaris Jackson pass in the Eagles battle with the Minnesota Vikings and ran it in for a score. The next week he picked off a Eli Manning pass and ran it down to the Giants two-yard line. Both of those turnovers put the Eagles in position to win.
He forces turnovers and turnovers are the second-best statistic which predicts which team will win, second only to the points on the scoreboard. He’s got 49 interceptions in career and he has at least three interceptions which he has returned for touchdowns in the NFC and AFC Playoff games.
It’s simple, Samuel makes big plays in big games. Hopefully, we will find out that Nmandi Asomugha is the same way but we know that Samuel is a guy we want on our side in a big game.
If the Eagles want to make a trip to the Super Bowl and win it, they need to keep Samuel happy, here and in the lineup. If that means bragging about him, patting him on the back and tell him how great he is, then the Birds need to do it to keep him here and doing the job.
great move. we need him. now pay djax
Glad to hear this, I was day dreaming and thinking that if I was the owner or president that I would call him in and give him the “Big Love, you the Greenest Eagle” speech.
I hope and pray that our players come together and form a formidable team, because I want to shut the door on this Superbowl “How many have you crap”, it needs to and will die this season.
After listen to some cowgirl “Eagle Haters”, I want it even more than before, throw in a sizable “Erse” kicking to the beloved (cough) Cowboys and I will have elevated to the upper realm of Nirvana (not the band, fellas), and will be at peace for one whole year of offseason football.
You freaking cowboys arrrrrrrrrrrrr. Yeah well anyway, As Always………
LONG LIVE THE EAGLES
he,s staying on my team , but he is my insurance policy ! if we have a starter go down , assante has the value to trade and get a starter in return. no injuies and assante remains a bird!
If only more bosses knew how a pat on the back could lift an employe’s spirit and increase production.
Samuel has done what he was bought here for and that is create turnovers. My favorite corner in recent Eagles history was sheldon brown because he could cover and knock your block off.
I never get tired of watching the hit he put on Reggie Bush.
Naw don’t feel that scenario, we are building depth right now so that we don’t have to ship players out. Look we learned a valuable lesson from watching the Packers and that lesson is quality depth. When their players started going down they held the line and promoted up there roster.
This is our game plan, neutralize the injury factor as much as you can and roll on. The only Samuel move is if we get one of those “Godfather” like offers. An frankly thats the only way I could feel good about a deal.
So fellas stop trying to ship out our talent, who the hell do we think we are. We can get a good LB if we want one without giving up our heavy hitters, we have money for FA’s, we have draft picks for trades, so why, oh my felow Eagles would you deal your stud playmaker…….seriously? As Samuel has asked. Are you tired of his playmaking ability?
Plus mathmatically every interception in a game reduces the chances of the throwin team to win the game by 20%. Listen 20% margin is huge in the NFL, and no LB is going to impact the game at that percentage level, and we have a corner trio that cold all be on the field at the same time that triples our percentage potential.
So lets get over the move Samuel thing, science and math is against us on that one Boys.
Why would you weaken a position of need? Our corners lost us alot of games last year….there not going to trade away the weakest posion arguably on the team for a LB or a dlineman
I would kepp all 3 CB’s for the Packers proved last Season that you can never have enough CB’s and that there are pleny of plays/downs for them to all play.
Over the last half of last Season, the Packers played with CB’s Tramont Williams & Sam Shields and had Charles Woodson roam the middle of the field many times during the games and on the field at the same time
If Samuel expressed a desire to move on and be traded or started to cause a problem, then I may have a different opinion.. but having a shutdown secondary is really a must in order to compete and win a Super Bowl..
G, can we get some color on how camp is going. who is looking strong, who isn’t? how the FAs look?
Look..if we learned anything from the Bunk trade…anything can happen.
We were loaded at DT and within a week now look.
If we trade Asante and one of our starters go down we’re back at square one….Let’s win something before letting exceptional talent walk.
Songs I actually agree with what you just said…
The Birds should keep samuel this year esp with the inexperience of the linebackers and safeties and go all in for the superbowl this year…Next year Samuel’s cap number I believe jumps extremely high…I would then trade him before the draft for a pick or player then…our young linebackers and safeties will have a year of experience and be all better by then and T. Lindley would also be in his 3rd year and should be able to step up by then also..And on top of that I think DRC will be in his contract year also so you know he is going to play well next year to get that new money
There is no reason to trade Samuel this year. Period. The eagles still have money under the cap and once they cut more players like a Justice etc..they will have more room. Also, once Vick resigns a new deal that should provide a couple more million to work with..which would be more than enough to sign D-Jax and a couple of role players in case of future injuries
I beleive there is Zero chance that EAgles trade Samuel (unless a team knocks their socks off with a #1 Draft Pick and or a Starting Pro-Bowl player in return). I just don’t see it happening and think the Eagles are not looking to move him..
The only thing I could see as a possibility is if SAmuel came to AR and requested a trade which on the surface doesn’t seem likely
Other NFL News
Redsksins Re-sign both LB R McIntosh and Safety R Doughty
Cowboys signed Safety A Elam to reunite hin with DC Rob Ryan (for $2.5 Million 1 year deal.. ) He’s a servicable player and familiar with Ryan’s schemes but not what I would call a real playmaker.. Cowboys SEcondary still a real weak spot on their team…
Giants sign Top Draft Pick Prince Amukarama
Steelrs re-sign LB Woodley to a 6 Year $61.5 Million deal with $27 Million paid out over the 1st 2 Seasons… (crazy $$$ if you ask me)
Raiders sign TE K Boss from the Giants to a 4 Year $16 Million Deal
Jaguars re-sign TE M Lewis to a 5 Year $35 Million Deal with $17 of it in guaranteed $$$ (again a little overpaid, don’t you think)
Some notable injuries
Jaguars QB D Garrard leaves practice with a tight back this morning
Jets WR Plex Burress has a tender hamstring and not able to practice
I originally thought they should trade Samuel if we could get value for him this year for the O line or LB but, I now think it would be foolish to lose one of the best corners knowing that injuries at corner are pretty freakin’ common.
Songs – Can’t believe I’m typing this but, I gotta agree with your last post.
Will somone PAHLEEEEASE drag Jackson to friggin’ camp? He’s not getting well thought out advice from that idiot agent.
Braylon Edwards contract with the 49ers was only a 1year year deal for $1golf million. He would have been nice to get for a year at that price. There were escalators that could have taken it to $3.5 million but he wont reach them playing for the 49ers.
Forgot to mention the following
49ers sign WR B Edwards to a 1 Year $3.5 Million Deal which seems like a pretty good bargain with some of the contracts that are being signed around the NFL..
Sorry Eagle Eyes, must have been typing our posts at the same time..
Lol…lots of typos in that last post. That’s what I get for using my phone.
Not a problem Paulman. That was a bargain price that we missed out on. Would have been solid insurance for our unstable WR situation.
I agree.. I am sure he will put up big numbers this year due to feeling slighted by the Jets who spent big $$$ on Holmes and thern sign P Burress and let Edwards (who is in his prime) just walk.. Watch him put up big numbers..
This site blows, wtf G you still in your hotel room sleeping. Your readers provide more information then your writers. How about a few articles about whats going on up there. Hows the offensive and defensive lines looking? The young safties? The linebackers? DRC? Throw us a friggin bone. Dude you got a responsibility your G Cobb for christ sake, act like it.
@cluelesseaglefan…
I’m not going to go as far as you about the site…But I agree…isn’t all of the players practicing today?
Example,
Reid expecting Maclin for 2011
isnt today the first time that most of the starting players will be practicing together?
I’m watching Eagles live right now…
Mike Patterson agent said that he will resume football activities…Spadaro talking as if its possible that he will return soon….
G……Any updates on who is looking good who is struggling? What about Laws?
eagles.com
showing offensive vs defense line, right now
I think the entire team and all the teams in the NFL are stuggling right now.. Lots of new players,new coaches and new schemes with many teams finally geting their entire roster with 8-10-12-14 players who have just started to to begin practicing today…
I heard that Chad Hall is the only Eagle that has stood out so far…Good Grief..
They’ll get a Vick deal done to free up some of that franchise-payout cap hit before getting to DJax. Sometime before the regular season…
i cant wait to see our zone blitz scheme now with zante on 1 side and namdi on the other
their reads on patterns and hot routes are top 3 in the league (zante #1)
and if we are to run more cover 2 and zone schemes as i am hearing who better in a zone than zante
now he aint the greatest cover corner but he’s the best cb in the league when facing the qb
gotta keep zante
and on a side note zante is a steal at the 5 and change contract he has this yr.
I know that people like to play with new toys. But make no mistake, Samuel is a playmaker. Forget his tackling or gambling nature, interceptions are interceptions, it gives the ball back to the offense!
Here are the stats for Nnamdi and Asante, comparing regular season numbers from 03-10.
Nnami = 11 INT
Asante = 42 INT!!!!!!!!!
btw, Cromartie from 08-10 13 INT
well tough stat to gage considering sportscenter flashed a stat that namdi the last 3 yrs has been thrown at and avg of 1.4 times per game
thats y we have to start zante
drc will get picked on like deangelo hall did in oak
Talk is that Pattersons agent is full of sh$#. Just for liability issues Patterson wont be back anytime soon. Speculation is MONTHS. He had a friggin seizure.