It is anything but a secret that Asante Samuel is on the trading block. He is reportedly up for grabs if anybody is interested, although for now it appears the Titans are the only team known to be considering him. The reports I have seen are saying that he might be available for as little as a conditional 3rd round pick and that the most likely destination is Tennessee. If that is the case then I would be very interested in the Raiders getting involved in this.

Asante felt very disrespected last year when his Eagles traded for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and signed Nnamdi away from us. He felt like he was the odd man out and publicly wondered where he fit it. Still, even under those circumstances Samuel had a productive year with 34 tackles, 3 INTs and one forced fumble. One of the INTs was returned for a TD. It is a far cry from his 7 INTs in 2010 (while playing only 11 games) and his 9 in 2009 but still not bad when you consider the disarray that was the Eagles of last year.

I firmly believe at 31 years of age that Samuel has a number of good years left in him. He plays better when he feels better and last year he did not feel good about the team he played for. He needs to feel wanted and the Eagles did not do that for him anymore, especially considering he had just had 16 INTs in the 2 years prior to last. He needs a fresh start and that is something that many Raider greats have found in Oakland.

I believe if we were to add him to our secondary it would be an excellent addition. The guy has consistently been one of the best corners in the league for years. A conditional 3rd round pick is not outrageous for the quality of player we would be getting. He has played in complex defenses with the Eagles and the Patriots which would help him adjust to the style we will be implementing here. He would fit in well in Dennis Allen's hybrid system and would bring excellent hands to our secondary. I would love for Reggie to make a surprise play for a strong veteran presence.

I will note that it is obviously highly unlikely for this move to be made with the additions of Bartell and Spencer, and also that Samuel would have to adjust his contract for any trade to be possible. He is slated to make 9.9 million this year which is about 9.9 million too much for our payroll! If anybody could make it work it is Reggie McKenzie but even with me being a ridiculous optimist I do not see him being able to make the move. That fact does not stop me from wanting to try for him, and besides its March so out of the world hypothetical scenarios are really all we have right now to keep us entertained.