Deadline passes, no deal for Samuel
New England Patriots07/17/2007 9:59 AM The Boston Herald reports thoughts of a long-term deal are officially dead, not that there was much hope of one being struck for CB Asante Samuel. The question is, what now for the free agent cornerback, who remains holding a Patriots franchise tag worth $7.79 million? Will this quickly dissolve into a more contentious fight, punctuated by a long-term holdout, given the sides remained extremely far apart during negotiations? Or, might something else be in store, something a bit more amicable between the two sides? Read more