Do the Patriots keep Asante Samuel?
The cornerback will also be a free agent, and his contract stipulates that he cannot be hit with the franchise tag as he was last offseason. As much as NFL teams like to pry players away from Super Bowl clubs — and considering the Patriots rarely pay top dollar in free agency — don’t be surprised to see Samuel lured away by a deal akin to the $80 million pact the San Francisco 49ers gave Nate Clements last year. Now that defensive back Brandon Meriweather has a year under his belt, he could slide into Samuel’s spot. •Whither the defense? Long the strength of this team, an overhaul may be overdue. The starting quartet of linebackers in the Super Bowl averaged 34 years of age, and Junior Seau, 39, and Tedy Bruschi, 34, are past their primes. Strong safety Rodney Harrison is 35, and even perennial Pro Bowler Seymour is showing signs of slowing. Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin couldn’t even make it through the season. Wholesale changes seem unlikely, and the defense only allowed 49 points in th
