Cap could cause Eagles to part with Samuel

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If the Eagles couldnt deal with Cullen Jenkins 7.5 million 2012 cap figure (see story), how on Earth can they deal with Asante Samuel 10.5 million figure?

Simple answer: They probably cant.

With the NFL salary cap expected to decrease in 2012 and the Eagles looking for ways to create salary cap room, Samuels 9.4 million base salary and 10.5 million cap number in 2012 could very well guarantee his departure from Philly (see full Eagles cap breakdown).

It will be four years ago next week that the Eagles signed Samuel to a six-year deal worth 59.14 million, with more than a third of the total value of the deal in the last two base salaries9.4 million in 2012 and 11.4 million in 2013.

Like Jenkins, Samuel is a veteran player with a huge salary and terrific football resume, but also like Jenkins the Eagles likely cant proceed in the off-season without doing something about that salary.

Jenkins was willing to restructure his deal, but what about Samuel? There is no evidence that the Eagles have approached Samuel about reworking his deal and making it more cap-friendly, but logic says that if they approached Jenkins, they most likely approached Samuel, toounless theyve already made up their minds to release Samuel if they cant trade him.

Samuel is probably less critical for the Eagles to keep than Jenkins, simply because hes at a position where the Eagles have great depth. With Samuel hurt at the end of last season, the Eagles finished with Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as the outside corners, and DRCwho had struggled in the slotwas comfortable and productive back in his customary role.

As well as Samuel has played for the Eagleshe has 25 interceptions, four touchdowns and three Pro Bowl picks in four years hereits tough to imagine him spending the 2012 season here lugging around that 10.5 million cap figure.

The Eagles put out trade feelers on Samuel last off-season and were offered a couple second-round picks but the deal fell apart at the last minute. Is his value still that high?
Despite 52 career interceptions and nine touchdowns (both including the postseason), his value might not be as high as it was a year ago. Because Samuel is 31, has missed games with injuries the last couple years, is coming off an up-and-down three-interception season and has a hefty price tag, teams might not be willing to part with premium picks in exchange for Samuel.

The NFLs projected unadjusted 2012 salary cap is 122 million. The Eagles were able to push over just over 19 million in unused cap money from 2011, when their adjusted cap figure was 128,670,335. Before they restructured Jenkins, they had 116,289,694 in 2012 salary obligations.

Its still too early to determine exactly how much the Eagles will have to spend once free agency starts on March 13, but it seems like a longshot that the Eagles will go into the season with Samuels 10.5 million figure on the books.

The other prohibitively high 2012 salary cap figure the Eagles will have to either deal with or eliminate belongs to backup offensive lineman Winston Justice, who is due 3.225 million with a 4.256 million cap figure in 2012 on the second year of a deal he already renegotiated once last year. Justice projects as the Eagles sixth-highest-paid player in 2012.

And backup defensive end Darryl Tapp, with a 2.575 million base and identical cap number, could also be a cap casualty. Tapp has 5 sacks in two seasons with the Eagles.

E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.

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