Philadelphia Eagles: 4 Teams That Could Trade for Asante Samuel

Asante Samuel has been playing for the Philadelphia Eagles since 2008, covering the left side of the defense. A player with great skills, Samuel has been a star in Philly and most of his numbers have been impressive. His ability to steal the ball is rare and probably unmatched and without doubt, the 31-year-old cornerback can be a game-changer when on the field.

After an impressive 2010 season, Samuel stumbled this year, finding it hard to adjust to Juan Castillo’s defensive schemes. The less aggressive style of playing required him to keep his eyes more on his opponent rather than the ball. Castillo occasionally moved him to safety and the results were even worse.

The Eagles finished with an 8-8 record, while the expectations were much higher. Andy Reid is heading towards his last season with the team, unless he brings success back to Philadelphia. The Eagles need to upgrade certain positions and need some cap space to do that.

Samuel's cap figure is $9.5 million this year. Considering that Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are also on the roster, Samuel looks more expandable than ever.

If Samuel gets on the trade block, these four teams might consider adding him.

1) Carolina Panthers

Samuel has been magnificent under Sean McDermott, who currently is the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have only one reliable cornerback (Chris Gamble) and they could use Samuel to form a solid duo of cornerbacks.

Carolina won six games this year, despite scoring an average of 25.4 points (ranked fifth in the league). The Panthers gave up almost 247 passing yards per game in 2011 and allowed a total of 28 passing touchdowns. Additionally, they intercepted the ball 14 times—tied at the 20th place with the Buccaneers. Overall, their defensive effort was insufficient and their performance putrid.

The Panthers are more or less happy with their offense, so they will look to add some quality on the defensive side of the ball. Their priority is to upgrade at defensive tackle and defensive end, but a cornerback like Samuel would be an instant boost for their secondary.

2) Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings arguably have the worst passing defense of the NFL. They struggled all year long and gave up a ton of yards to opposing wide receivers. Samuel would be a great addition and the Vikings will be looking for a top quality cornerback this offseason.

In 2011, the Vikes gave up 34 passing touchdowns and an average of 251.2 passing yards per game. They were also placed last in interceptions, stealing the ball only eight times. Furthermore, 13 passes resulted in 40-plus yard gain. All of the above were a result of poor playing from the secondary and not because they couldn’t get to the quarterback—Minnesota led the league with 50 sacks.

Chris Cook will go unchallenged and get the starting job in 2012, but who will start opposite of him, Asher Allen or Cedric Griffin? The Vikings need more than these players can offer and Samuel can be a solution to some of their problems.

3) Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are coming off their worst NFL season since 1991. They won just two games and Peyton Manning’s absence was not the only problem for them; their defense was weak too. The secondary looked incompetent and the future does not look bright as well.

The quarterbacks that lined up against Indianapolis enjoyed an average 103.9 QB rating and passed for an average of 227 yards per game—this could be a bigger number, but the Colts’ gave up also a lot of yards on the ground and were trailing in most of their games, so their opponents pounded the ball a lot. To make things look worse, the team had a pitiful total of eight interceptions.

Obviously, the franchise is trying to turn the page and start fresh. Jim Caldwell was replaced by Chuck Pagano and many veterans are not expected to return. Their depleted secondary requires strengthening. Asante Samuel is definitely a player they’d be interested in.

4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 2011 season has been disappointing for the Bucs. Raheem Morris’ men struggled both offensively and defensively and won only four games. They’ll have to bring some talent in the offseason if they want to compete in a tough division like the NFC South.

The Buccaneers were tied with the Bills in the 29th place for most passing touchdowns conceded, with a total of 30. They also allowed an average of 238.4 passing yards per game. As for interceptions, they had a decent (but not great) total of 14.

Morris is gone and the greatest concern for Tampa Bay is that its starting cornerbacks might not be with the team in 2012. Aqib Talib could end up in jail and Ronde Barber is probably going to retire. The Bucs have to find a way to stop the run, but they have to add a veteran cornerback too.  Samuel can be a fine replacement for Barber and help the youngsters with his experience.