Samuel Returns To Patriots

New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel has returned to the Patriots, ending his holdout. The Patriots applied the franchise tag to Samuel in February, guaranteeing him a one-year, $7.79 million contract but preventing him from becoming an unrestricted free agent. Samuel missed much of training camp when he and the team failed to agree on a long-term contract by the July 17 deadline. After that date, he could only re-sign with the Patriots for one year. Toby and Samuel's agent, Alonzo Shavers, declined to say whether the Patriots had gotten Samuel to report by promising they would not apply the franchise tag to him again next year.