We've talked a great deal about the DeSean Jackson situation, and that is the biggest offseason issue facing the Philadelphia Eagles right now. But there's also the matter of cornerback Asante Samuel and whether he'll be a part of what the Eagles are doing in 2012.

Samuel played the best of any Eagles cornerback in 2011, which considering the play of the secondary isn't saying much. And he's under contract through 2013. But there are a number of factors that could drive the Eagles to trade Samuel this offseason. His scheduled base salary for this year is $9.4 million (and then $11.4 million in 2013), and last summer the Eagle signed free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and traded for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Trading Samuel would give the Eagles some more salary cap room with which to work over the next two offseasons, and it appears to be a move they could weather, since Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie are both capable starters and Joselio Hanson is a good nickel corner.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman was asked about the Samuel situation recently and was non-c0mmital, per Zach Berman of the Philly Daily News:

Roseman declined to discuss whether cornerback Asante Samuel will return to the Eagles, providing the stock answer that the phone always rings when a team has a surplus at a position. But Roseman believes that the trio of Pro Bowl cornerbacks can still work in the Eagles' secondary.

“"Last year was a unique situation in terms of practice time and preparation time," Roseman said. "So I think that it gives us an opportunity with this offseason, with a normal offseason to kind of gel together and you saw that towards the end of the year, the team was gelling and so that's what we look forward to in 2012."

The Eagles talked all last offseason and during the season about being okay with having the three cornerbacks. But the fact was that they couldn't really get Rodgers-Cromartie on the field except when Asomugha was injured, and they have needs at linebacker, defensive tackle, safety and maybe wide receiver that must be addressed. If Samuel can bring back a nice draft pick or two, it's something the Eagles must and almost certainly will consider. It's a shame for our Cowboys fans that they play in the same division, since he'd be a great answer to Dallas' biggest problem.