Rumor- "samuel Said To Be A "done Deal""

I would not mind signing Samuel. I think he is talented cornerback. But more importantly, he's a smart player. There are guys with better skills than Samuel. But there are very few guys who are better at defending in WR in the first 10 yards. I am not suggesting that his skill set diminishes beyond 10 yards. My point is that he fluidity and the way he baits WRs is on par with the top CBs in the league. I happen to believe that Nnamdi Asomugha and Champ Bailey are better cornerbacks. After that, we get into a huge debate and I would argue that Samuel is a top 5 CB and definitely in the conversation on the best guys at the position.

If the Saints sign Samuel to the purported deal of 10 year, $100 million, I HAVE NO PROBLEM with it. Keep in mind the deal is likely to be backloaded. No one expects Samuel to play until he's 37. The key is really to look at the guaranteed money and I would say that $24 million is not bad. Keep in mind that Grant nearly got that on a shorter deal. So we are talking about $24 million spread out over 10 years. That's $2.4 million a year prorated. Chances are, we will see 6 years of the deal play itself out and he won't see the back end of the deal, which might account for just as much if not more than the first six years of the deal. I could easily see a deal with balloon payments of $18 and 20 million kind of like what we saw a few years ago with Steve McNair's deal with the Titans and, more recently, with Larry Fitzgerald deal.

Also, I think it is valid point to suggest that one man will neither solve the secondary's problems nor our defensive issues. But if the Saints were to go out and trade a second-day draft choice for Vilma (assuming he's healthy), draft either Dorsey or Ellis in the first round and a CB or LB in the second, I think it can be said that we have done a lot to address our defensive issues and improve the play of our secondary. I truly believe that our move on draft day will be to get a DT in the first and the best player available in the second. I also happen to believe that Samuel won't be our only move in FA, although it is difficult to project too many big money deals being handed out. But I think we will make the effort to add some key players. Also, watch out for guys like Calvin Pace, Demorrio Williams, and Jovan Haye. In the case of the latter, Haye's a smaller DT that Orgeron would seem to like on the surface. He's a restricted FA, but would only cost us a sixth rounder if we signed him.