The NFL free agency sweepstakes is less than 12 hours old, but Comcast SportsNet's Derrick Gunn is reporting that the Eagles already have a deal in place with Patriots free-agent cornerback Asante Samuel.No formal announcement has been made, but the Eagles' official web site has shut down because it was overloaded with traffic from running a photo of Samuel and an announcement that he will meet with the Philadelphia media this afternoon.
Samuel is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, and he is expected to get a contract somewhere in the neighborhood of the seven-year, $64 million deal that Nate Clements received with the 49ers last year. Giving a free agent that much money would run counter to the way the Eagles usually do things, but Samuel might be too good a player to pass up.
Other teams that might be interested in Samuel include the Jets, whose coach, Eric Mangini, previously worked with Samuel in New England; the Saints, who have a desperate need for cornerbacks; and the Buccaneers, who have a ton of cap room available.
UPDATE: Eagles Guarantee Asante Samuel $20 Million on Six-Year, $57 Million Contract
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