Samuel Finally Signs

According to ESPN.com, Asante Samuel has finally signed his contract, making him the last Franchise Player to sign with his respective team this year.  Samuel will be reportedly paid 7.79 million dollars for his services in the 2007 season, far more than the money he’s been making in the first few years of his career.  However, it is still not known whether or not the Patriots consented to keeping the Franchise tag off of Samuel next year, which would put his deal much in line with that of Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs.  Briggs finally signed his one year deal when the Bears agreed to allow him to test the open market after the 2007 season.

Samuel’s agent is remaining very tight-lipped about the exact agreement the two sides reached, but it would stand to reason that if they’re not already coming out and saying that Samuel was cut a similar deal, then he either was not given such an offer of he was sworn to secrecy is such an offer was handed down.  Bill Bellichick is nothing if not a team-first guy who loves keeping secrets.  This deal seems right in his wheelhouse.

Samuel took a physical but has yet to practice with the team.  True to form, Bellichick won’t even tell anyone when he expect Samuel to start practicing, much less suit up for a game.

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