"Right now it's very amicable," Shavers said. "We don't look at it as a bad thing. This is a step in the process in working toward a long-term deal."
In a statement, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, "Asante Samuel is an outstanding player who has been a consistent contributor for us for several years. We hope Asante remains a Patriot for many seasons to come."
Shavers had yet to receive the official paperwork of the specifics of the franchise tag, which is important because there are two levels of the tag -- non-exclusive and exclusive.
The non-exclusive tag is worth $7.79 million on a one-year deal, while the exclusive tag -- the amount of which has yet to be determined -- would be more.
If the Patriots placed the non-exclusive tag on Samuel, he can still negotiate with other teams. But if any team signed Samuel to an offer sheet -- and the Patriots did not match that offer -- the team acquiring Samuel would have to give up two first-round draft choices. Because of such a heavy price to pay, non-exclusive franchise players seldom draw significant interest.
Meanwhile, if the Patriots placed the exclusive tag on Samuel, it immediately guarantees his salary and restricts him from negotiating with other clubs.
Players generally loath the franchise tag, preferring to test the open market, where they can potentially earn contracts with lucrative signing bonuses that are paid immediately. Such immediate payments provide players financial security in a business in which contracts are not guaranteed.
Samuel, who turned 26 in January, tied for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions last season. A fourth-round draft choice in 2003, he signed a four-year contract that included a $312,500 signing bonus. Including other bonuses and his base salaries, Samuel earned approximately $2 million over the contract, according to NFL Players Association figures, meaning this year he stands to earn approximately four times as much as he did in his first four years in the league.
