Official Packers vs. Eagles Discussion Thread

[CaptainKickass]

Asante Samuel?

https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/g...date-green-bay

According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, the Green Bay Packers remain interested in signing free-agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., one of the top free agents in last spring’s class who has yet to sign with a team. Samuel has recently been cleared after undergoing a spine fusion this offseason, after playing just four games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024.

Based on sources I’ve talked to, here’s the scenario. The Packers wanted to have Samuel on a visit, prior to him being cleared for action, in an effort to recruit him. Samuel’s camp told Green Bay that any visit would have to wait until after the trade deadline, as Samuel is hoping to land with a team where he can start immediately, so that he can build back his on-field reputation in time for the 2026 free agent market. Remember, Samuel is coming off his rookie contract, so his career earnings are $7.2 million at the moment. His next multi-year deal will likely be where he receives the most money in his NFL career, if all goes well in 2025.

Since the Packers — and others — were told to wait, Green Bay didn’t make a move at the trade deadline for a cornerback, despite Nate Hobbs going down with an injury. Currently, Green Bay only has two healthy cornerbacks on the team who have ever played NFL regular-season snaps on defense: Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine.

I've seen exactly zero updates on the Asante Samuel visit around the internet.

Did he actually visit Green Bay? Did he work out? Did Packers doctors and assorted semi-scientists poke & prod and otherwise measure and test his athletic ability and his repaired spine? Did he leave Green Bay? Without an offer? Did anyone offer him cheese curds? Did he go visit the other teams on his schedule? Did he jump into Seth Brundlefly's Telepod™ with Sam Jackson and accidentally create a horrifying biological mash-up creature we can only refer to as Asante Samuel L Jackson?

Inquiring minds wanna know.

[Joemailman]

I've seen exactly zero updates on the Asante Samuel visit around the internet.

Did he actually visit Green Bay? Did he work out? Did Packers doctors and assorted semi-scientists poke & prod and otherwise measure and test his athletic ability and his repaired spine? Did he leave Green Bay? Without an offer? Did anyone offer him cheese curds? Did he go visit the other teams on his schedule? Did he jump into Seth Brundlefly's Telepod™ with Sam Jackson and accidentally create a horrifying biological mash-up creature we can only refer to as Asante Samuel L Jackson?

Inquiring minds wanna know.

He did visit with the Packers, but he had scheduled visits with 5 other teams.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Samuel’s meetings with teams this week have been purely medical as the former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback is returning from a “very serious” spinal surgery that had put his playing career in jeopardy. “Asante Samuel Jr, the reason a player like that has a five or six-team tour setup is because medical. He needs to go in and get physicals in different places. Without getting too deep into the weeds on the nature of the injury, it is something very serious and very scary that he is coming back from,” Pelissero said on “The Power Trip” morning show.

[texaspackerbacker]

Somebody said maybe Samuel is more concerned with getting the most money than the fit with a team. It seems pretty clear that if he's near what he was before the injury, he move right in a Corner #1 with the Packers. But maybe that's not his primary motivation.

[Patler]

The Packers have not chanced playing their own stars after serious neck injuries, even when the players' doctors have "cleared" them to play. In fairness, neither have most other teams. Treatments are constantly improving (I remember when ACL tears usually ended skilled position players' careers as they knew them), and someone might take the chance on Samuel. However, I will be very surprised if it is the Packers, who seem to be extremely cautious with even much less significant injuries.

[NewsBruin]

I only know anout spinal fusion from pro-wrestling. Like Patler's description of ACL surgery, spinal fusion used to mark the end of a wrestler's career. Then it got to wrestlers coming back after one fusion (with about a year recovery) but not being cleared with multiple fusions. Now, there's one guy, 52-year-old Adam "Edge" Copeland, who's the first to wrestle after triple fusion.

Those guys bang their tailbone, back, and neck on thinly-padded pine planks for 5-10 years and, even with all the added muscle, their vertebrae and discs get damaged or dislodged. Fusion removes the damaged disc fragments and uses a cage structure and bone chips to join two vertebrae together where the padding and discs got damaged.

The upshot is that you reduce the pain from bone-on-bone grinding and discs falling into the nerves in the spinal column, but in exchange, you lose flexibility and have a double-length vertebra which could fracture on impact. I'd want to see what kind of "twistability" Samuel has around the fusion area. Does he instinctively pull up from a form tackle or play off after a few reps of jamming a receiver at the line? Are we okay with losing him for good if he takes a flat-back landing after going for a pick?

Pro wrestlers carry on after fusion, and they take more bumps in a match than a DB does in a game. I probably wouldn't want Samuel bad enough to outbid all the other suitors, but if that's what we can get at this point in time, I guess I'd submit an offer.

[Joemailman]

[bobblehead]

I only know anout spinal fusion from pro-wrestling. Like Patler's description of ACL surgery, spinal fusion used to mark the end of a wrestler's career. Then it got to wrestlers coming back after one fusion (with about a year recovery) but not being cleared with multiple fusions. Now, there's one guy, 52-year-old Adam "Edge" Copeland, who's the first to wrestle after triple fusion.

Those guys bang their tailbone, back, and neck on thinly-padded pine planks for 5-10 years and, even with all the added muscle, their vertebrae and discs get damaged or dislodged. Fusion removes the damaged disc fragments and uses a cage structure and bone chips to join two vertebrae together where the padding and discs got damaged.

The upshot is that you reduce the pain from bone-on-bone grinding and discs falling into the nerves in the spinal column, but in exchange, you lose flexibility and have a double-length vertebra which could fracture on impact. I'd want to see what kind of "twistability" Samuel has around the fusion area. Does he instinctively pull up from a form tackle or play off after a few reps of jamming a receiver at the line? Are we okay with losing him for good if he takes a flat-back landing after going for a pick?

Pro wrestlers carry on after fusion, and they take more bumps in a match than a DB does in a game. I probably wouldn't want Samuel bad enough to outbid all the other suitors, but if that's what we can get at this point in time, I guess I'd submit an offer.

Edge did retire initially. I think he should keep them hung up and stick to promo cuts and such. How many fusions do you need before you decide its enough.

[Joemailman]

Ian Rapoport
@rapsheet.bsky.social


Eagles rule out CB Jaire Alexander, focusing on getting him acclimated to their defensive system while also getting up to speed on his knee maintenance.

The focus is on his recovery and preparation for the rest of the season.

[Joemailman]

Ian Rapoportr
@rapsheet.bsky.social

For MNF:
-- The Eagles have activated OLB Nolan Smith to the 53-man roster and elevated OLB Patrick Johnson for the game.
-- The Packers elevated LB Kristian Welch from the practice squad to the active roster.

[Bretsky]

Ian Rapoportr
@rapsheet.bsky.social

For MNF:
-- The Eagles have activated OLB Nolan Smith to the 53-man roster and elevated OLB Patrick Johnson for the game.
-- The Packers elevated LB Kristian Welch from the practice squad to the active roster.

I's confused; I thought we just cut Welch

[Joemailman]

I's confused; I thought we just cut Welch

Cut him and then signed him back to the practice squad.