BY TOM ROCK
I'll post this on the Jets blog also, but since it's Super Bowl and Patriots related, it can go here as well:
The Pats' play-making cornerback Asante Samuel will be one of the biggest free agents on the market this offseason. Any chance he could wind up with the Jets? They were one of the teams reportedly interested in luring him last year before the Pats slapped Samuel with the franchise tag.
Samuel said he and Eric Mangini have a close relationship. Mangini was his position coach when he first came into the league and then because the defensive coordinator before taking the job with the Jets.
"We spent a lot of time together, so we built a good relationship," Samuel said. "We all knew he had the ability to be a head coach."