The Falcons have completed a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to bring cornerback Asante Samuel to Atlanta. The Falcons only had to give up a seventh round draft pick to get Samuel, and were able to restructure his contract in the process, taking him from 2-years and $21.3 million to a three-year, $18.5 million deal.
“It was not a big deal for me at all,” Samuel said on restructuring the contract. “I wanted to be a Falcon and they made it work.”
This is a great deal for both parties – the Falcons get a four-time Pro Bowl cornerback, and the restructured contract gets him at a reasonable price. Samuel gets a fresh start, after the Eagles off-season moves last year to bring in Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie made him expendable and created friction in the Eagles backfield.
“I’m happy to be a Falcon,” Samuel said. “I know the city is embracing me.”
“I know the Falcons already have an excellent team, excellent coaches, schemes and talent. I’m just going to add to the bunch to try to get the one common goal.”
Samuel has 45 interceptions in his career, and 368 tackles. His 38 interceptions since 2006 is the highest total in the league over that period.
