PatsBlog: A Patriots Blog

It’s a six year deal, as reported earlier.

Patriots 2002 - 2007

232 tackles, 22 interceptions

Yesterday, league-wide speculation was that Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel was set to sign a monster contract with the New Orleans Saints.

However, it’s amazing how quickly things can change, as it looks like Samuel is on the verge of signing a six year, $60 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Samuel will meet with the Eagles today.

Yesterday was “restricted free agent day” in the NFL, where teams must place tender offers on their restricted free agents.

The Patriots had two restricted free agents, defensive lineman Mike Wright, and defensive tackle Rashad Moore.

The Patriots placed the second round tender on Mike Wright (worth $1.41 million).  This is a good move, as it ensures that the Patriots will have a top backup for Vince Wilfork, a backup who is also versatile along the line.

The Patriots however, declined to place a tender offer to Rashad Moore, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Just after being caught with a small amount of marijuana at a Lil’ Wayne concert, Patriots running back has submitted to drug testing, and passed, according to the Daily Advertiser:

Carencro native Kevin Faulk of the New England Patriots has been cleared of any illegal drug use after the results of a controlled substance test were revealed today.Faulk was issued a misdemeanor summons in Lafayette last Friday for possession of marijuana while attending a Lil’ Wayne concert at the Cajundome.

Faulk told The Daily Advertiser today that the marijuana wasn’t his and neither was the jacket he was wearing that contained the illegal substance.

Faulk said he was upfront with Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick and the organization from the beginning and immediately submitted to a drug test that he took on Monday.As a result of the negative drug test, Faulk will not have to enter the NFL’s policy and program for substances of abuse.

This is good news.  Hopefully we don’t have to hear about this anymore.  For our sake, the Patriots sake, and Kevin’s sake.

Mike Reiss reports:

The Patriots and CB Randall Gay have exchanged contract proposals leading into free agency, but it has been decided at this time that Gay will test free agency, his agent Albert Elias said today.

Gay has stated throughout the process that his wishes are to remain in New England, but at this time, the sides remain apart in negotiations. Elias said the sides will continue to talk.

According to sources, the Patriots have resigned receiver Kelley Washington, just hours after declining his $4 million option for the 2008 season.

The Patriots announced they wouldn’t pick up Washington’s option over a week ago, but it was rumored that the two sides were working together to reach a new deal, which they reportedly have.

Last year, Washington excelled on special teams.  But with the reshaping of the receiving for for ‘08, it looks like Washington could play himself into an offensive role this upcoming season.

Tedy Bruschi has officially inked a multi-year contract to remain with the Patriots, ESPN reports.

New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi decided Thursday to return for his 13th season and apparently, he wants to play more than just one more year.

Great, great news.  Things are starting to clear up at linebacker.  Now, the Patriots are guaranteed to return Bruschi, Thomas, and Vrabel at starting positions.

Is linebacker still a priority?  Yes.  But is it looking a hell of a lot better?  Yes.

On a down note, things don’t look as optimistic for Junior Seau.  According to an AP Report, Seau is having shoulder surgery for an injury he played through most of last year.

Seau had arthroscopic surgery on his left rotator cuff not long after his New England Patriots were upset by the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, leaving the linebacker to ponder whether to try to play a 19th NFL season or retire — again.

With free agency set to begin first thing Friday, Seau is more worried about getting healthy and catching up on his offseason pursuits than where, or if, he might play again.

It sounds as if he’ll be happy, even if this is the end of his career.

“I have a choice of playing or a choice of surfing. Those are great choices to have,” Seau said by phone Thursday from his home in suburban Oceanside.

Seau said he was hurt in the fourth game of the season but was able to play through the pain as the Patriots went 18-0 before losing to the Giants on Feb. 3.

“There’s no grace time there,” he said. “I was caught in a wrong position. I just fell on it awkwardly. I felt it and it didn’t recover. So I had to deal with it. Every player has an injury during the course of the year. In order to get through it, you have to persevere. No 1, you have to make sure you’re not a liability. Obviously that was not the case.”

The Patriots, known not to be forthcoming with injury news, didn’t announce that Seau had surgery.

The surgery could have a bearing on whether the Patriots or any other teams offer Seau a contract.

“Wanting and needing are two different things,” Seau said about his prospects for returning for a third season with New England. “It’s basically looking at every situation. I know that it’s a structure of what coach (Bill) Belichick and the Kraft family have to partake in, to put together a great team that can follow up what we did last year. That takes time. There really isn’t anything on the table for me to look at except me getting healthy and being ready to go whenever anything that is a liking to me surfaces.

According to Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Randy Moss has signed a new contract with the Patriots:

Don’t be concerned about Randy Moss going anyplace. The former Vikings wide receiver is signed, sealed and delivered with a contract to continue to play for the Patriots.

Sounds like good news, but I wouldn’t be certain yet.  I’ll refrain from posting any analysis, because some sources are reporting that Moss has yet to agree to a contract with the Pats.

If this is true, the Patriots lone target at receiver will be Jabar Gaffney, but early indications are, that he may be headed elsewhere.

Ty Law might not be done in New England

 Today, the Chiefs announced they will release the shut-down corner, who was scheduled to make over $6 million in 2008.

Despite a rough ending to his Patriots career, speculation is that Law would be open to returning to New England.

Law spoke during the the Celtics game today, and when asked about a return to the Patriots, he started laughing, sounded like he was open to it, said “it will be interesting” and wouldn’t say anything more.

We’ll see what happens in a few days.

Profootballtalk.com reports:

There’s increasing chatter in league circles that the Saints have worked out a deal with cornerback Asante Samuel.

Yeah, it’s tampering.  But no one seems to care about that.

Samuel supposedly is looking for a contract with an average value in excess of $10 million per year.

Talk about cheating, that’s cheating.  As the quote says, it’s tampering.  Maybe Roger Goodell should take a look into this.  This is just as serious of a matter, although it will be hard to prove.