Three months ago Asante Samuel intercepted Philadelphia Eagles? quarterback A.J. Feeley and gave the New England Patriots a 7-0 lead just a few plays into the team?s Week Twelve battle. Samuel?s trip to the end zone, along with another key pick in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, proved to be the difference as New England remained undefeated with a tight 31-28 victory over Philadelphia. The two teams won?t play again for another few years, barring another Super Bowl meeting, but Samuel will be looking to perform several ?pick-six? plays for the very team he single-handedly defeated at the end of November. The Eagles agreed to a six-year deal with the cornerback on Friday afternoon, reportedly worth anywhere from $50 to $60 million. Philadelphia not only made the first big splash of the NFL?s free agent period with the move, but also fortified a defense that struggled mightily last season. Samuel is the ball-hawking corner that the Eagles desperately needed, but will serve well in coverage even when he?s not dashing towards the end zone. Asante tallied 44 tackles and six interceptions in New England last season, while Philadelphia?s top-line duo of Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard combined for just five picks in 2007. The newest member of the Eagles? secondary will likely force either Brown or Sheppard to shift positions or pack their bags. The most likely choice is Sheppard who has a history of injury, having missed fifteen games over the past four seasons. Paired in the secondary, Brown and Sheppard often played to each other?s strengths. Brown typically plays the role of enforcer, racking up tackles with the occasional forced fumble. Meanwhile, Sheppard, the lightning member of the duo, is the more athletic option. Sheppard is more likely to grab an interception, but Brown less likely to get burnt on a big play. Assuming the Eagles shift Lito to another position or deal him out of town, the combination of Brown and Samuel in the secondary will certainly provide the Eagles with a more dynamic defense in 2008. Samuel is a versatile defender, which will allow him to create turnovers while still keeping the likes of Terrell Owens and Plaxico Burress from hurting Philadelphia in the uber-competitive NFC East. The Eagles sunk to the bottom of the league in takeaways last season, something Samuel should help them improve upon immediately. In addition, he?s a proven player when the game is on the line. The perfect evidence ? he has three interception returns for touchdowns in the playoffs, an NFL record. As strange as it sounds, Samuel?s play on the field may not be the most important aspect of this signing. The Eagles, stuck in a rut following their Super Bowl XXXIX loss to the Patriots and the departure of Owens to Dallas, have proven that they mean business as they head into what will undoubtedly be one of the most important seasons in team history. If they don?t make the playoffs for the second-straight season, we may have seen the last of Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid in Philadelphia. The management, and a majority of the roster, have quite a bit riding on the 2008 campaign. Grade for the Eagles: B+ The Patriots were able to keep Samuel around last season thanks to the franchise tag, but it appeared inevitable that the Pro Bowl corner would bolt for a big payday this offseason. However, losing Samuel to the Eagles could allow New England to replace their star corner with Sheppard, something that was rumored in the weeks prior to Friday?s opening of the free agent market. The only catch, pardon the pun, is that the Patriots will have to strike a deal with Philadelphia in order to obtain Sheppard. The cost won?t be astronomical, especially with the presence of Samuel, but the Eagles? brass would be smart not to give Sheppard away for peanuts either. That is, of course, assuming that the rumors of New England coveting Lito are truthful. With that said, there is no corner in the game that can replace Samuel in the secondary. The Patriots will have to replace him with someone worthy of a starting slot, but they won?t find anyone of his caliber this offseason. New England will have to pull the trigger on a trade (i.e. Lito from Philadelphia) or sort through free agents like Jason Webster, Andre Dyson and Terry Cousin. None of the above sounds too exciting, but I?m not sure a secondary of Ellis Hobbs and Randall Gay (another free agent) does either. Grade for the Patriots: C+ Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM.com. Feel free to reach him via e-mail (Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com) with comments or questions.

According to FoxSports.com, Asante Samuel is visiting with the Eagles on Friday. It looks like it will be Samuel's only visit, with the sides close to agreeing to a six-year deal that could be worth a maximum of $60 million if Samuel reaches all his incentives.

Tedy Bruschi has agreed to a multi-year contract with the Patriots, according to an Associated Press report. A person within the league, speaking Thursday night on condition of anonymity, said the deal is expected to be signed Friday.

Eric Mangini and the Jets are expected to make a run at one of the cornerbacks he once coached in New England. The Jets will seriously pursue Asante Samuel or Randall Gay this offseason.

New England running back Kevin Faulk was cited for marijuana possession last Friday, according to the Associated Press. Faulk was issued a misdemeanor summons for the incident, which took place near the Lafayette Cajundome where the Louisiana native was taking in a performance by rapper Lil Wayne. Faulk was cooperative and was not arrested.

The Patriots have released veteran linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, according to ESPN.com. New England signed Colvin as an unrestricted free agent in 2003.

The Eagles are expected to pursue Asante Samuel, which could eventually lead to the Patriots landing Lito Sheppard, according to a report in the Boston Globe.

Asante Samuel's asking price is currently $10 to $11 million per season. The Saints are the early leader to land Samuel, according to John Czarnecki of FoxSports.

Randy Moss and the New England Patriots are not close on a new deal, according to John Czarnecki of FoxSports. The Patriots believe Moss would give them the opportunity to match any deal he finds on the open market. One interesting rumor coming from the combine has Moss joining Tony Romo and Terrell Owens in Dallas.

U.S. Senator Arlen Specter is accusing the New England Patriots of 'stonewalling' the investigation into the team's past of recording opponent practices, according to the Associated Press. Specter's take on the developments is vastly different than that of Commissioner Roger Goodell, who was optimistic that everything would be cleared up before long. "My suspicion is that they're going to put enough conditions on it so that he won't talk," Specter told ESPN.com. "If they had wanted Walsh to talk, it would have been done a long time ago. They are not helped by keeping him on ice, unless they intend to [permanently] keep him on ice."