PFW staff
Feb. 29, 2008

Asante Samuel

The Eagles signed CB Asante Samuel to a six-year contract Friday, shelling out the second-most money to a cornerback in NFL history, behind last year’s deal the 49ers gave to CB Nate Clements.  Sheppard had 22 interceptions, including 10 in 2006, in his five years with the Patriots, and he’s expected to aid a secondary that had only 11 interceptions last season. Samuel most often has been a left corner — the spot that disgruntled Lito Sheppard played last season. Sheppard is expected to be traded this offseason now.

The PFW spin

In theory, Samuel is exactly what the Eagles need — a playmaking cornerback who is durable despite his size and can improve an area of deficiency. But don’t assume that Samuel and the Eagles’ defense are perfect fits in all areas.

First of all, Samuel is not a great run supporter, though he’s not terrible, either. It’s just not his strongest suit, though he has improved in that area. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson expects his corners to be tough against the run, something Sheppard (when healthy) and Sheldon Brown have done pretty well over the years. Before them, Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent were pretty good in that area, too.

Second, Samuel is better in cover-2 than he is in man. He likes to sit back off the receiver, read his keys, use his instincts and goad quarterbacks into throwing the ball his way. He’s more quick in short areas than he is fast, and those skills translate better to zone coverage. The Eagles play as much man coverage as any team not named the Giants or Packers. They love to blitz and play press-man outside. Samuel is physical and can deliver the big blow, but this is not an ideal match for his skills.

That said, Samuel should be better in this scheme with more pressure from the defensive line. The Eagles are expected to upgrade their front seven, mainly on the line, and continue to bring pressure. Johnson is counting on a better pass rush. That could lead to a very respectable interception total for Samuel, and that is a big reason why he was brought in. But he also might give up some pass receptions until he gets fully comfortable playing so much man coverage.

“We take a lot of pride in how we play defense here,” head coach Andy Reid said Friday. “The aggressive, reckless approach that we take. Jim [Johnson] does a heck of a job coordinating the defense and, obviously, the more great defensive players that you add into the mix, the better you’ll be. Asante is a great player and he’ll make great plays for us.”

Perhaps. And it’s not like the Patriots haven’t played man defense in Samuel’s time or that he hasn’t had some success with it — it’s just that he’ll have to adapt to the sheer amount of man “D” the Eagles are expected to play.