Asomugha: Keeping Asante could've worked
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Asomugha: Keeping Asante could've worked
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
As I've written about at length in the past, the decision to trade Asante Samuel was basically made last summer when the Eagles signed Nnamdi Asomugha.
Howie Roseman and Andy Reid made it pretty clear at the time that Samuel could be had for the right price. But they were unable to strike a deal before (and during) the season.
That led to the Birds sending Samuel to the Falcons before the draft and getting only a seventh-round pick in return.
Now, less than a month after the trade, Asomugha says the Eagles could have made it work with Samuel in 2012.
"I thought it could have worked, and I still think it could've worked," Asomugha told NFL Network's Rich Eisen, according to an excerpt on NFL.com's Around the League blog. "Everybody keeps saying that, you know, 'No, it can't work, you three, blah blah blah. ' I still thought it could've worked, even coming into this season. Asante and I would talk about it through the offseason, like, we can fix this. ... Now we've got another year under our belt; now we've got time; and then he's gone. So now it's like you don't get that chance to put it back out there. But, you know, it's whatever, and he's happy with where he is."
It's true that the Eagles would have been fine in the secondary with Samuel at left corner and Asomugha at right corner, but where would that have left Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie? He struggled when the Eagles moved him to the slot last year. And while Rodgers-Cromartie didn't do much complaining publicly, it would have been more difficult to keep quiet with a lack of playing time in 2012, which happens to be a contract year.
The decision to move Samuel may have had to do as much with managing personalities and keeping everyone in the locker room happy as it did with scheme, Samuel's age and Samuel's salary.
Going forward, look for Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie to start, with rookie Brandon Boykin fighting Joselio Hanson for the nickel spot. The coaches will have to find a capable fourth corner who can fill in and start if Asomugha or Rodgers-Cromartie gets injured. The top candidates for that role are second-year player Curtis Marsh and Brandon Hughes.
The other question is: Should the Eagles extend Rodgers-Cromartie's contract? Based on his performance last year, the answer is probably no. But if the Eagles are still confident that he can be a Pro Bowl-caliber corner going forward, they'll likely be able to get a better deal by signing Rodgers-Cromartie now than if they wait until the end of the season.
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This is how we were able to lock in Shady and the young guys long term dude....stick to covering guys and making plays...— briman- The trade of Samuel was as much about saving the team money as playing Cromartie in his natural cb position. Cromatie looked very good when he came in at the end of the year for Samuel. I agree, the Eagles would be wise to extend his contract now than waiting until next year.— tbird
- We lost a LION in the backfield - now it's time to stop talking Press vs Zone and "man up and play leather helmet football." This seemed to be a front offense choice (that AR was against), now that DJ & Shady are under contract all is well in Eagleland. Todd Bowles is the key here, hopefully he'll captain this ship moving forward.— Laughingaloud123
- This comment has been deleted. — bedpan
- lol, sadly true bedpan. The guy has also just brought it on himself I guess by constantly critisizing me when I dont say anything about him but just post LOGICAL info and stuff that is TRUE. Laughalound was saying just a few weeks ago that Assante would not be traded, that the Eagles would absolutely keep him, he was too valuable blah blah and other kool-aid nonsense. I posted at the time that his 10mil cap # was the reason why Assante would be gone as that was enough to sign thier ENTIRE draft class combined. It was a "no-brainer" that even the Eagles didnt get wrong. But apparently some of the "best" eagles fans were caught off guard by it when logic said otherwise, WEEKS in advance. and now they even claim Andy was "against" it...thats funny. NO one knows Andys thoughts on this publicly, but he was probably celebrating getting rid of Assante's 10 mil off the books so he could sign THE ENTIRE ROOKIE CLASS. Soemtimes I wonder if some of these fans even know how football is played. I am doubtful.
- …children, children, settle down now. Shhhhhhh stop winning - it’s time to go to sleep…! — Laughingaloud123
- I think the "LION" he's refering to is Macho Harris...SMH — MDbirdsfan89
Comment removed.- Maybe Asomugha should keep his mouth shut and prepare himself for the season. The next big play he makes for the Eagles will be the first.— Bobphxville
- Maybe you should keep this is a grown man who has as much right to speak as you do. They gave Blacks their rights over 212 years ago. — Blessed8251
- How can you make my comment into a racial issue? Something deeper than my comment, methinks. Next time, at least try to write in a complete sentence, Mr 212. — Bobphxville
- Of course he's going to say that. The guy is all class and he's not going to trash a former teammate to the media. Duh.— JimG
- The Eagles made the right decision.These guys(sports writers) are always having slow news days and have to justify their jobs so let's create a story (controversy) where there isn't one.— essell
- Nnamdi dont like the Eagles already and he's only been here for a season. Amazing.— Zeru
- Nnamdi dont like the Eagles already and he's only been here for a season. Amazing.— Zeru
- I"m starting to become a fan of yours Sheil but I've got to ask you. How can you say DRC isnt worth an extension if he didnt play enough for us at this natural position to really know what we have. Knowing how the Eagles do things, It would be better if they signed him now before he made the probowl. That way they can undercut his pay and keep him in a salary slot that is stable to the teams salary cap regardless if he outperforms his contract.— Zeru
- Money and age, height, speed, tackling. Asante was and still is a ball hawk, a natural safety, if you will. He can excel on a defense that has already got good tackling defenders, and hard-hitting safeties. He had to go.— gnarlyscuzz
- I totally agree with Nnamdi. Look at the NY Giants: they actually play 3 safeties. Nnamdi could have been free safety in that scheme (like he played in college), and you keep DRC and Asante at the corners, or sometimes you put DRC at that "cover" safety position. The money that Asante agreed to with Atlanta could have fit well here in Philly.— EmanuelP
- It wasn't about "fit", it was about salary.— fmMD
- Then Nnamdi should have paid his salary.— Richard Saunders
- At 5:15pm today, hindsight succumbed to delusions of grandeur complicated by a case of self importance brought on by excessively hot internal body temperatures due to inability to expel the large quantity of hot air produced from out and out lies. [sniff] He won't be missed.— tpizza
- I dont understand he is even talking about this..there is no way we could have kept Asanti and got the McCoy deal done..he needs to just worry about getting ready for the season and playing at the level he is expected to play at— nixman101
- CG25 picking on another poster for not knowing much about football. Now, I've heard (and seen) it all. Dude, I know 7 year old Madden gamers who know more about football than you CG25. And no, 90% of what you post is not true.— Penfold18
- This comment has been deleted. — bedpan
- Alas – fenced in by his cussedly rants and a disturbing lack of basic reason, BedBug has again mounted his Dine Store pony, only to waste both personal treasure and the time of all herein!
— Laughingaloud123 
@laughingaloud123 " We lost a LION in the backfield." It nice to hear other Eagle fans share their appreciation of Asante. Those morons that claim Asante doesn't belong with the elite... are entitled to their opinion. Samuel still a tremendous play-maker... Intimidator... Eli Manning probably has nightmares of Asante picking him off. Asante's thievery, game-changing plays, his Moxie more than made up for his tackling deficiencies ... leaves me with many great memories. Pleased my Eagles found him a place he wanted to play...he with seventh round pick Bryce Brown the result... Well Bryce Brown could prove to be the best pick of this years Draft. Best of luck Asante... Just not Against Us.
Nnamdi probably doesn't realize it was a money issue, not a fit issue. Basically trading Samuel for locking up Shady. Maclin next. I wonder how many of the draft picks will play this year?— verve- @ Bobphxville, I love when people like Blessed8251 don't have a mind of their own, so they wait for other people to comment and then trash them to make themselves look better. When that doesn't work, they throw out the race card as a last gasp of hope of trying to make some sort of sense... It doesn't work though!! What you said has absolutely nothing to do with race......consider the source!— Geno D
- Samuel was moved for a reason and Asomugha's belated diplomacy is nice but irrelevant... the allergy to tackling,the untimely outbursts,the me first attitude have all relocated to Atlanta...phew!— greenbloodVAEagle
- Samuel is gone mostly because the Eagles could not find a muzzle to fit on his mouth. Samuel is still one of the league's most feared corner backs even at this age.
— Dexter - What happened in 1800??? or did he mean 236 years ago???? That was 1776...do the math that shows how smart you are, keep racism out of this forum, and I agree Nnamdi should keep his thoughts to himself....play ball and live up to the hype....— SkipinWV
- Although the team will miss Samuels' playmaking ability, it was a good move to trade him. Not only is DRC a better fit in the press-man scheme, but he's bigger and it's imperative to have big corners in today's NFL. I expect less interceptions but more incompletions.— MrMiles1
- So how do the Eagles come out ahead ? Nmandi is a one-trick pony. He can cover man but he can't ANYTHING else well. He played in Oakland and wasn't asked to do anything else and no one cared because was in Oakland. DRC ? Is he better than Samuals ? No. Subtraction by addition it seems to me.— sfofan
- Nnamdi needs to shut up and earn his money.— oldBird
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