SI's Peter King spoke to some NFL sources last night about the Eagles signing of Nnamdi Asomugha, which he says had the leauge "stunned." King says that it came down to Nnamdi simply preferring to Philadelphia to New York.
"Nnamdi wanted to play in Philadelphia," the source said. More than New York, where Rex Ryan was planning to make Asomugha and Revis his defensive centerpieces? Yes, the source said
King also was surprised at how relatively inexpensive he came. Now, no one can call $12 mil a year cheap, but when you consider that he made $14 million per over the last two years, he's actually making less money now.... and this is for the premier free agent on the market. King says that another team must have offered him at least what he was making in Oakland.
He also says that despite what they thought, the Cowboys were "never a serious contender" and that "Asomugha thinks the Eagles have a better chance to get to the Super Bowl than NYJ. He was passionate about their chances."
As for a potential Asante Samuel trade? King says that a reliable source told him "it’s no gimme the Eagles will deal Samuel." If indeed they did however, "the Eagles would prefer a significant player instead of high pick. They want to bulk up for '11."