Asante Samuel thinks he's pretty good, and he's not completely wrong
Philly.com, Inquirer, and Daily News coverage of the Eagles
Asante Samuel thinks he's pretty good, and he's not completely wrong
Les Bowen
I was away on a family trip over the weekend -- got to witness in person Charlie Manuel and Michael Stutes taking an easy win away from Vance Worley -- and among the things I missed out on was a tweet from Asante Samuel offering a suggestion for reading material.
This was most opportune, because I just finished that Danielle Steel novel Asante lent me. Went through a whole box o' Kleenex, but it was worth it!
Anyhow, this time, Asante wanted to draw my attention to a blog post from bloggingthebeast.com, which posted that Asante does more than just cherry-pick interceptions, he doesn't get thrown at a lot, and he is rarely beaten. The post cited metrics from Football Outsiders, which gave Asante the league's best "success rate" defending passes in 2010, and its lowest yards per attempt. The final numbers for 2011 aren't in yet, but the post author was able to ascertain that Asante would have been in the top 5 in both categories through 13 weeks of last season.
None of that is particularly surprising to me. I have never been among No. 22's harshest critics. My feeling has always been, if you throw at him long enough, he'll make you pay with a pick that more often than not will end up being a pivotal moment in the game.
But to me, that doesn't mean Asante's critics are all crazy, or that the Eagles shouldn't trade him, as they almost certainly will by the end of the month.
Most of the Asante backlash is about tackling. Another group, Pro Football Focus, a few months ago released its tackling ratings for corners, and Asante ranked 91st out of 101, which isn't real good. It's almost as bad as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (98) or Nnamdi Asumugha (100).
Here's the thing: What do you need most from your corners in the passing-crazed NFL of 2012? I don't think tackling is what gets a corner the big bucks. If you look at Pro Football Focus's list of the top 5 tackling corners in 2011-- Kelly Jennings, Alan Ball, Brice McCain, our old friend Dimitri Patterson, and former Eagles camp casualty Kyle Arrington -- you won't see many high salaries or Pro Bowl appearances. Yeah, Darrelle Revis is a fine tackler and a shutdown pass defender, but there really aren't many of those. Worrying about a corner's tackling is kind of like judging Ryan Howard on his strikeouts. Yes, it would be great if he didn't whiff so much. No, striking out a lot doesn't mean he's a terrible player.
Also, Asante is on the trading block not because of tackling or poor performance in general, but because his cap number this year is more than $10 million, he's 31 years old, and most important, the Eagles are committed to playing pressure defense behind a wide-nine front. When you're around the league lead in sacks, it makes sense to play press coverage, which is best suited for Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie. Asante, who uses his knowledge of QBs and routes to sit back and then swoop in, is a bad fit, not a bad player.
Big-time, big money corners have big egos. Asante has chafed, more or less openly, ever since the team went out and got Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie last August. He knows he would have been dealt then if the Eagles could have gotten value. Now he wakes up every day wondering if he's going to get a phone call welcoming him to the Browns or the Rams or whomever. He apparently has agreed to redo his contract if it will get a trade done.
Yesterday, in addition to posting links to the bloggingthebeast post, Asante implored reporters to "stop the negative pub." He also theorized that "maybe I need to talk crazy every time they say something crazy about me."
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that won't be real helpful, though it might be entertaining.
Also, Asante challenged us to publicize his Bringinghomesinglemoms foundation, which certainly is a worthy cause, as I noted when I trekked down to Gray's Ferry to interview him at a Habitat for Humanity build in February.
As off-the-wall as Asante can be, I'm going to miss him, and there is a decent chance the Eagles will, too. But maybe we can be pen pals!
why the hell did they get rid of asante samuel and keep nnamdi asumugha ?? that decision just doesn't make sense to me.— the_chief- There's been no trade yet and the reason for keeping Asomugha over Samuel was specifically mentioned in the article: They want to play press coverage.
"When you're around the league lead in sacks, it makes sense to play press coverage, which is best suited for Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie. Asante, who uses his knowledge of QBs and routes to sit back and then swoop in, is a bad fit, not a bad player."
I thought that was pretty clear.— bc3030 - He's good but would a lot better if he didn't have to cover up for all the poor linebacking in front of him.— farley
- Bye Bye Asante !!— dmanphilly
- He should be able to play press cover a little bit better thgh if that's what they are asking him to do..Look at all the great corners that have played Deion Sanders, Rod Woodson, Troy Vincent, Eric Allen, Champ Bailey etc they could all press when needed to......!!! That being said I still like Asante !!!— diehardeagle
- he's the only one that can "cover" the others cant do either. Good luck to you AS.— osi is hurt boohoo
- Asante Samuel is emotionally attached to Phila. It's obvious he loves being here and that coupled with his ego is causing him to lash out in disgust.
Make no mistake about it, Asante is still one of the most feared Corner Backs in the NFL, and the same way he's ragged about his tackling is the same way Dion was ragged about tackling and Dion is now in the HOF.
In my opinion, Asante is not paid by the Eagles to Tackle, and last year he tried to step up his tackling game. I'm ok with him shutting down his side of the field and will appreciate all he's down for the Eagles since coming to Phila.
If he could tackle, he would be the ultimate nightmare playing Free Safety.
— Dexter - You forgot the whole calling the FO a bunch of fantasy football posers thing for reasons he'll be gone.— Only in Philly...
- I see him as a free safety as well......got exceptional ball hawking skills to be wasted in a zone. let him roam and play his game if you can't get what you want/need for him.— LJ14
- Except, in theory anyway, you need to know how to tackle to play safety.
— phillychaos - Free safeties need to hit and tackle.
— ej610 - let him roam and play his game if you can't get what you want/need for him.
Isn't that a ZONE?
- Please don't trade him to a team in our division.— cremebroulet
- the sad thing is they will not draft a better corner in all liklihood to replace him. Him, DRC, and Namdi all three starting CB's NOT drafted by Andy. Signed to huge money deals because instead of drafting those guys themselves they get Brandon Hughes, Curtis Marsh and Jack Ikegwanu. (All of those guys and Assante were all 3rd or 4th round picks) Gold standard = excellent drafting and multiple superbowels, and more success then the Steelers.— CharlieGarner25
- I'll give you superbowels. — bc3030
- This trade asante talk his crazy. Our defense will be top 5 in the league next year. Its the offense im concerned about. What good is having a top ranked Defense but your offense still cant score consistently and convert on 3rd downs. The Ravens have led the league in defense for several seasons now but still have issues scoring. The Jags need a OT or WR, The Dolphins need a QB or WR, the Cardinals need a Guard or WR and The Bills need a OT or a WR. If Floyd manages to make it past these teams i think we finally found our #1 go to receiver. This would only help Maclin and Desean. Let Avant and Cooper fight for that #4 spot.— Yes_General
- Samuel is a gamer, and I wish him luck wherever he goes--preferably AFC West.— rad205
- He is the best talent, most alert and big play producer we have at corner or in the secondary period. But the reason why he isnt staying is because of the ten million dollar cap hit the team is taking based on the salary they signed him to in the first place. Its always fun to watch fans complain about athletes not being satisfied with the contracts they sign but never complain about the club when they want to release or trade the player they signed for the same exact reasons. The media makes the fans look like hypocrites. There is nothing wrong with Asante Samuels. He is still one of the best in the game and a top 5 corner in the game. If the eagles trade him for a 4th or even a 3rd round pick they do a great disservice to themselves. Especially since they have no one in the front office that can find something comparible to Samuels talent in those rounds and in some cases cant even make the damn team. Its safe to say that anything other than a first round pick in return and the eagles have lost this trade.— Zeru
- He is the best talent, most alert and big play producer we have at corner or in the secondary period. But the reason why he isnt staying is because of the ten million dollar cap hit the team is taking based on the salary they signed him to in the first place. Its always fun to watch fans complain about athletes not being satisfied with the contracts they sign but never complain about the club when they want to release or trade the player they signed for the same exact reasons. The media makes the fans look like hypocrites. There is nothing wrong with Asante Samuels. He is still one of the best in the game and a top 5 corner in the game. If the eagles trade him for a 4th or even a 3rd round pick they do a great disservice to themselves. Especially since they have no one in the front office that can find something comparible to Samuels talent in those rounds and in some cases cant even make the damn team. Its safe to say that anything other than a first round pick in return and the eagles have lost this trade.— Zeru
- The Eagles spend so much of their time trying to devalue their own players that they lose sight of getting something of value when they decide to trade or let them walk. The media machine did a great job on Desean Jackson and his overall value to the point where he took a contract that wasnt reflective of his actual contribution to the team. Nobody in the NFL can go to the probowl as a special teams player and as a positional player. I think the last guy to do both was Deion Sanders. Thankfully for him he didnt play for the eagles because they would have focused on him not being able to tackle or something else that takes away from his actual contributions. If you focus long enough on anybody you will find a weakness or something that they dont do well. Most of the great tackling Corners are great tacklers because they cover. And most of the great Cover corners dont tackle that well because they dont even allow their guy to get the ball. But you know how it goes. The eagles use the media to break their own players down so they can give them what they want them to have. I hope the Eagles are smart enough to know that they cant get a good return in a Samuels trade unless its a first rounder because their scouting ability is about as competent as Mitch Williams in the 9th inning of a big game.— Zeru
- @Yes_General you know nothing last year it was the D that could not hold 5 leads in the 4th quarter. And since you said the Ravens, let me remind you that they won a super bowl in a year that there offense could not score to save there lives. If I remember correctly they won 3 consecutive games that year that they did not score 1 offensive TD. And as for for wide outs yeah that work just go ask Matt Millin how drafting 1st round WR's worked for him. And just a thought take football expert off your bucket list ya moron.
— eagle fan for life - He should stopping worrying about critics like me and do something about it like get in the gym and get tougher and work on actually wrapping up when he tries to tackle someone. I like the guy, I like his INT's when they happen but I hate how much of a wuss he is when a tackle needs to be made. It seems to have rubbed off on the LB's and the entire secondary— connorjr
- Part of holding leads in the fourth quarter involves the offense scoring in the fourth quarter...— Eagle_1960
- Les, "Danielle Steel" - really? Hey let's not date ourselves, why not go with Mickey Spillane?
Crazy how sports writers use irony when they're warming up the metaphors. Asante has proven himself in this league, (..."two golden rings..., four pro bowls... and gaggle of interceptions") - if the Eagles trade him or let him go some smart GM is going to pay him the coin he so richly deserves. And we'll be listening to some Hater Bot rant about Dwak and Asante kicking tail for a team other than ours.
Go Eagles!
— Laughingaloud123 - There's no crying in football...
— tpizza - For Les or the fans...
— tpizza - You're right about that bedpan. Bonehead and Dumbowich ARE a joke. These guys act like Asante will definitely get traded when the truth is they are merely taking pot luck guesses. To these guys, Asante's price tag for the 2012 season is too much for the Eagles to pay. Truth is the Eagles have no intention of letting Asante go. This is the team's best shot at a Super Bowl title since 2004. Asante is not going anywhere. I get a big kick out of some of the other posters who take everything Dumbowich, Bonehead, Sheridum, etc., state for Gospel. Quit drinking Philly sportswriters' bath water!— jimqk
- Nice piece Les. Thanks.— FishFryFrank
- Since Asante likes to play off the ball and read the QB and routes, why not move him to free safety where he can play center field and be a ball hawk. I understand his tackling issues, but in the pass happy NFL, having a ball-hawking FS who can cover is an upgrade over safety play last season.— Joe Wilson
- Given that he makes QB's hesitate when throwing in his direction, and he comes up with a few too but it's friggin annoying when his costly whiffs at tackling cost us critical yardage or worse, a TD. If I'm a trashman, picking up the can is as much a part of my job as dumping it's contents into the back of the truck. Numerous analogies could follow. It's comical when his receiver DOES catch the ball and all #22 can offer is a lame body check, hoping to knock the receiver out of bounds. And hey, if he had thumped the WR within the first five yards, he wouldn't be worrying about him catching the ball. As NE's Uncle Bill would say - "Just do your job" (which includes tackling when needed; effective tackling). Good riddence, #22.— vegas_limodriver
- If he can fit under the cap, keep him. Samuel has to be the most underrated player on the team based on how many people can't wait to put him on a train out of town. The Eagles have always been pretty good at dumping a guy right before he goes downhill (Trotter, Dawkins, Joyner, Taylor, Fraley, Simon, etc.) but I think this one is going to bite them in the rear.— FMWarner
- charliegarner the same guys got sheldon brown 3rd round and lito sheppard 1st ...go to the steelers site and drool over their superbowls might make u feel better smh— positive eagle
- When id his roster bonus due? How much is it? The longer he goes w=on without being traded, the less I think it will happen. Teams need a veteran, still highly effective corner. A gambler yes. But, still, this is taking too long. Get rid of him or keep him. I say keep him. But not at a 10+ million cap hit.— SeenGreen
- Also, remember when he does sometimes get beat deep, the safety is always late on the cover, more times than not. Our safety play was awful in many ways and a CB has to rely on that teamwork. Another reason bdawk was so great.— peteike
- Asante may be right! The game has turned into a rough touch or flag football game. Asante fits right in. Go for the int. Don't worry We'll just score more than the other team. Arena Football is moving outdoors. I don't know how much longer I can go to games like this.— Joe Nickels
