It’s been rumored for the last 24 hours that the Atlanta Falcons were on the verge of acquiring cornerback Asante Samuel from the Philadelphia Eagles, and now it appears to be a done deal. A source tells Bert Breer of the NFL Network that Samuel has restructured his contract to become a Falcon:

Per a league source, Atlanta has agreed to terms on a 3-year, $18.5M deal for Asante Samuel. So trade will likely go through soon.

—
Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 25, 2012

Samuel had originally been scheduled to make $21.4 million in 2012 and ’13 with the Eagles, but that money was unguaranteed. Now with the Falcons, he’s much more likely to cash in on the new deal.

Samuel, 31, started 14 games for the Eagles last season. He amassed 34 tackles, one forced fumble and three interceptions.

Asante Samuel’s name has been milling about in offseason trade rumors for weeks now, and yesterday the Atlanta Falcons were rumored to be in the running for the Philadelphia Eagles’ veteran cornerback. Now, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Falcons are on the verge of finalizing a deal.

Samuel would fill a clear need for the Falcons — passing defense has been the team’s clearest weakness during their four years under coach Mike Smith, and Samuel’s ball-hawking tendencies would be a huge asset. The Falcons signed returning corner Brent Grimes yesterday to a one-year, $10.281 million franchise tender, but they’re still looking for more help.

“I think he’s a great player,” Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. “We played against [the Eagles] the last few years, and we saw what he could do. He’s definitely a player that I think would improve anyone’s defense.”

Samuel started 14 games for the Eagles last season, recording 34 tackles, one forced fumble and three interceptions. He has two years left on his contract, but the money is unguaranteed.

The Eagles are reportedly seeking little more than a late draft pick for the 31-year-old Samuel.

The Denver Broncos have expressed interest in acquiring Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel from the Philadelphia Eagles, sources tell Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

The Eagles have been trying to deal the 31-year-old Samuel in advance of next Thursday’s NFL draft, and the Broncos are one of several contenders to land him. They’ve made two offers, one involving a fifth- or sixth-round draft pick and the other involving an undisclosed player.

Samuel has two years left on his contract — one at $10 million and the second at $11.5 million — but none of that money is guaranteed. Samuel would likely need to tweak his contract to complete a trade.

Samuel started 14 games for the Eagles last season. He recorded 34 tackles, one forced fumble and three interceptions.

The Detroit Lions have interest in Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel, according to Fox Sports Detroit.

The Eagles have been shopping Samuel since the end of the 2011 season in order to help clear cap space. While the Tennessee Titans appear to be the favorites to land him, the Lions also believe his services could help them fill a void in the role of a veteran cornerback.

Samuel, 31, has three interceptions and 30 tackles last season in 14 games for the Eagles. His best season came in 2006 when he had 10 interceptions for the New England Patriots.

Over the course of his career he has a total of 45 interceptions, five of which he has returned for a touchdown.