Go After Asante Samuel Now

The opportunity does not come around often but when a Pro Bowl corner becomes available, you need to seriously go after him.

The Philadelphia Eagles are trying to unload Asante Samuel before the upcoming draft and the Titans should push hard to acquire the cornerback. The Eagles are looking for the best offer possible for Samuel but it doesn’t appear that they will get the third round pick that they were originally asking for as compensation.

There are reports that the Eagles would take a fifth or even a sixth round pick in return for Samuel but his current salary is the major issue. Although Samuel is due over 20 million dollars over the next two years he has mentioned that he would be willing to re-structure his contract to make a trade happen.

Considering the asking price for Samuel, the Titans need to make this deal. Obtaining a Pro Bowl corner for a fifth or sixth round pick is a steal. The Titans defense lacks playmakers and Samuel has been one of the very best at his position over his career. Samuel is a unique talent and has a history of making big plays in games.

Many people feel like the Titans should take a corner in the first round of the draft but why spend the pick and salary on the second or third best corner in the draft when you can acquire a proven game changer for the defense for basically nothing.

I know there are a lot of fans that feel that allowing Finnegan to walk was a mistake. He was a solid player and leader for the team but from a production standpoint he was not exactly making a difference on the defense. The Titans have the opportunity to add a player that will make opposing QBs think twice about throwing to his side of the field.

I’ll be the first to admit that Samuel is not a great tackler. He’s not exactly someone that is going to come up in run support and challenge running backs or deliver a big shot. He’s also a gambler in the secondary. He’ll take chances if he feels like he can get an interception. With that being said, the team should still trade for him. I can live with all of this because Samuel does something better than most corners in the league. He intercepts passes.

Creating turnovers and giving the offense more opportunities to score could be the difference in being home for the playoffs again or making a run to a Super Bowl. Big hits and tackles are cool when watching Sports Center and the NFL Network but I want my corners intercepting passes and there are not too many better than Samuel.

Samuel would be a great fit for Jerry Gray’s zone scheme. He can play man to man but he’s excellent in zone coverage and reading quarterbacks. His addition could also help out young corners on the roster like McCourty and Verner. They’re both good, young players and having a player like Samuel to learn from could benefit them in the long run.

After looking over the Titans schedule for the upcoming season they could use a player like Samuel. The schedule is filled with opponents that have elite level QBs. He has led the league in interceptions in two of the last three years and having him roaming around in the secondary couldn’t hurt. Samuel is a game changer and having him could benefit everyone in the secondary.

Do it before the Falcons finish the deal! (Written last night before any of this mornings happenings)

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