Kentucky Jet Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Samuel unsure if he'll play Sunday Pats CB held out all preseason with contract dispute Posted: Friday September 7, 2007 4:21PM; Updated: Friday September 7, 2007 4:21PM FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Having missed all four preseason games because of a contract dispute, Asante Samuel doesn't know where he stands on the New England Patriots' depth chart -- or even if the cornerback will play in Sunday's season opener against the New York Jets. "I guess we'll have to wait and see on Sunday," Samuel said Friday. "I'm just going out and practicing and working hard." Samuel has been playing catch up since ending his contract stalemate on Aug. 28, a month and a day after the Patriots began training camp. Samuel had stayed away in protest after the Patriots designated him their franchise player and the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract. Samuel worked out on his own during his holdout and appeared to report in good shape. But he knows that is only half the battle. "There's a difference between working out, just running, conditioning, doing all those things and being on the field and going against another team and (defending) a two-minute offense or something like that," he said. "It's a little different." Patriots coach Bill Belichick said it would be "totally unrealistic" to expect Samuel to have the same level of conditioning as his teammates. Belichick did not address Samuel's playing status Friday. The Patriots have a roster exemption for Samuel, meaning they can carry an extra player while they wait for him to catch up. However, they are at the regular limit of 53 players, a possible indication that they expect Samuel to play in Week 1. Samuel had a career-high 10 interceptions last season, tying Denver's Champ Bailey for the NFL lead. He also clinched last year's 37-16 playoff win against the Jets by returning a Chad Pennington interception 36 yards for a touchdown to complete the scoring. Meanwhile, quarterback Tom Brady was listed as probable for Sunday's game Friday after limiting his participation in practice for two days with a chronic right shoulder injury. Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gainzo Posted September 7, 2007 Share Posted September 7, 2007 Samuel unsure if he'll play Sunday Pats CB held out all preseason with contract dispute Posted: Friday September 7, 2007 4:21PM; Updated: Friday September 7, 2007 4:21PM FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Having missed all four preseason games because of a contract dispute, Asante Samuel doesn't know where he stands on the New England Patriots' depth chart -- or even if the cornerback will play in Sunday's season opener against the New York Jets. "I guess we'll have to wait and see on Sunday," Samuel said Friday. "I'm just going out and practicing and working hard." Samuel has been playing catch up since ending his contract stalemate on Aug. 28, a month and a day after the Patriots began training camp. Samuel had stayed away in protest after the Patriots designated him their franchise player and the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract. Samuel worked out on his own during his holdout and appeared to report in good shape. But he knows that is only half the battle. "There's a difference between working out, just running, conditioning, doing all those things and being on the field and going against another team and (defending) a two-minute offense or something like that," he said. "It's a little different." Patriots coach Bill Belichick said it would be "totally unrealistic" to expect Samuel to have the same level of conditioning as his teammates. Belichick did not address Samuel's playing status Friday. The Patriots have a roster exemption for Samuel, meaning they can carry an extra player while they wait for him to catch up. However, they are at the regular limit of 53 players, a possible indication that they expect Samuel to play in Week 1. Samuel had a career-high 10 interceptions last season, tying Denver's Champ Bailey for the NFL lead. He also clinched last year's 37-16 playoff win against the Jets by returning a Chad Pennington interception 36 yards for a touchdown to complete the scoring. Meanwhile, quarterback Tom Brady was listed as probable for Sunday's game Friday after limiting his participation in practice for two days with a chronic right shoulder injury. Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Here is Asante's Q&A with the Boston Media today: FOXBOROUGH -- Cornerback Asante Samuel held court with reporters in the locker room today. Some of the Q&A: Will you play Sunday? "I guess we'll have to wait and see until Sunday. I don't know if I'm going to play, how much I'm going to play. I'm just going out practicing and working hard." How do you feel physically? Do you feel behind? "I feel all right. I'm in late, I have a lot of catching up to do. But I feel pretty good." Do you feel you could contribute in some way if you play? "I'm not going to get into that. If they put me out there, I'm going to do my job." How much of a load have you taken on in practice? "I go out there and prepare like I always normally prepare. I'm trying to do a little catching up being that I came in a little late. I'm just going out there working hard, trying to help my team." Do you have good memories of facing the Jets? "The past is the past. It's a new year, a new situation. You never know what's going to happen." Do you feel different now physically than you did at this time last year? "No, I feel good. It isn't different. When I'm home, I work out hard." Do you notice a difference between being in good shape and football shape? "It's always a difference. I won't know until I get a chance to play in a game. There is a difference between working out -- just running and conditioning and doing all those things -- than being on the field and going against another another team when they're doing the two-minute offense or something like that. It's a little different" Any interceptions in practice? "I'm not going to get into that. When I'm out there, I do my thing." Does it feel good to be back?[?b] "Yeah, like I said before, I'm happy to be back. It feels good to be back, playing football, doing what I love to do." Was it tough for you not being here? "It was tough in a sense. But business is business. Certain things had to be handled and everyone is happy." What are your thoughts on the Jets receivers? "They're all explosive guys. They can make the long catch, or make the short catch and turn it into a long catch. They're great competitors and great receivers." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY Jets Guy Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Here is Asante's Q&A with the Boston Media today: FOXBOROUGH -- Cornerback Asante Samuel held court with reporters in the locker room today. Some of the Q&A: Will you play Sunday? "I guess we'll have to wait and see until Sunday. I don't know if I'm going to play, how much I'm going to play. I'm just going out practicing and working hard." How do you feel physically? Do you feel behind? "I feel all right. I'm in late, I have a lot of catching up to do. But I feel pretty good." Do you feel you could contribute in some way if you play? "I'm not going to get into that. If they put me out there, I'm going to do my job." How much of a load have you taken on in practice? "I go out there and prepare like I always normally prepare. I'm trying to do a little catching up being that I came in a little late. I'm just going out there working hard, trying to help my team." Do you have good memories of facing the Jets? "The past is the past. It's a new year, a new situation. You never know what's going to happen." Do you feel different now physically than you did at this time last year? "No, I feel good. It isn't different. When I'm home, I work out hard." Do you notice a difference between being in good shape and football shape? "It's always a difference. I won't know until I get a chance to play in a game. There is a difference between working out -- just running and conditioning and doing all those things -- than being on the field and going against another another team when they're doing the two-minute offense or something like that. It's a little different" Any interceptions in practice? "I'm not going to get into that. When I'm out there, I do my thing." Does it feel good to be back?[?b] "Yeah, like I said before, I'm happy to be back. It feels good to be back, playing football, doing what I love to do." Was it tough for you not being here? "It was tough in a sense. But business is business. Certain things had to be handled and everyone is happy." What are your thoughts on the Jets receivers? "They're all explosive guys. They can make the long catch, or make the short catch and turn it into a long catch. They're great competitors and great receivers." Keep Chad on his feet!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 We need to pray for this guy not to play. This would be absoutley HUGE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124 Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Read this morning that he will play but will not start. Randall Gay gets the not alongside Ellis Hobbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangreenman Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Read this morning that he will play but will not start. Randall Gay gets the not alongside Ellis Hobbs. Ha, trust me Samuel will be in there for the majority of the game or else Coles, Cotchery, and Mccareins will totally destroy without Samuel or Harrison in the secondary and without an all pro pass rusher in seymour... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMaynard Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 No big deal. According to many Pats fans, he isn't really that good. Personally, I will be in ignorant bliss if he doesn't play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124 Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Ha, trust me Samuel will be in there for the majority of the game or else Coles, Cotchery, and Mccareins will totally destroy without Samuel or Harrison in the secondary and without an all pro pass rusher in seymour... Oh, I know. Samuel will be in there about 70% of the snaps, but, I'd like to see McCareins "destroy" someone. He hasn't done that since... well... I don't know really know when he ever has. Maybe in his Northern Illinois days he did! The key is Brad Smith, not Justin McCareins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMaynard Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Oh, I know. Samuel will be in there about 70% of the snaps, but, I'd like to see McCareins "destroy" someone. He hasn't done that since... well... I don't know really know when he ever has. Maybe in his Northern Illinois days he did! The key is Brad Smith, not Justin McCareins. Bingo. I predict Brad Smith will be the surprise of the year for the Jets. As a WR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewilly Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 I'm not upset to hear seymore & harrison aren't in but I really don't care who plays & who doesn't. just kick the ball off the tee already & lets get this started. please tell me you guys aren't reading into what comes out in the local papers like we should change the gameplan accordingly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Patritos holdout may not play Posted: Saturday September 08, 2007 08:02AM ET He ended his holdout nearly two weeks ago, but will Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel be ready to play in tomorrow's season opener against the Jets? Samuel, who signed the one-year franchise tender and reported Aug. 27, maintained that he stayed in shape during the holdout by working out at home, but coach Bill Belichick rejected the notion that the left cornerback is back up to speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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