Top 10 impending free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. will likely be in a uniform this upcoming offseason. According to Bleacher Report, they expect the cornerback to walk from the Los Angeles Chargers after not being able to stay healthy for most of the 2024 campaign. Many say he could have had a better market last offseason before his injury and he wasn’t able to mesh in Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s philosophy. While the pass defense was one of the best for Los Angeles, the team has yet to see much of that production from Samuel who’s relatively been a bust.
Originally selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the former Florida State product came into the league putting on a promising rookie season, recording 43 total tackles, two interceptions and 11 passes defended. Samuel was never able to get back to that same production after the Chargers put him on the reserve list in 2024 where the Chargers had a depleting secondary. It might be easier for the team to dip their hands into this year’s free agency to find replacements for Samuel and Kristian Fulton who is another impending free agent. With that, head coach Jim Harbaugh should make it a priority to sign a healthier option.
Samuel wants to return but the Chargers are much better off without him, however, at age 25, he should have a good market next month. He’s still young and has fresh legs to keep up with most wide receivers in the league when healthy. The Ravens, Saints could revive his career in no time.
Top 10 Impending Free Agent Asante Samuel Jr. May Join Ravens, Saints
Depleting Raven Secondary
The Baltimore Ravens have the right pieces on their offense for a Super Bowl other than a wide receiver, however, the main priority should be to address the secondary. The team only has two reliable cornerbacks in rookie Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey. However, the salary cap situation for the Ravens doesn’t look promising so this could force the team to release Humphrey. If that’s the case, Baltimore should look for another capable defender to be his replacement and build a new foundation next to Wiggins for the next generation.
Samuel is not on the same level as Humphrey but he’s a better option for the Ravens than to re-sign Brandon Stephens. With that, even if they keep Humphrey, the Ravens would still need another cornerback. The secondary unit was consistently torn apart for the first half of the 2024 regular season which is easily avoidable if the Ravens get a couple of capable replacements to take over. Samuel might not be as explosive but it’s a way for the Ravens to go back to the drawing to test their luck.
A Bargain Grab
The Saints find themselves in a similar situation as the Ravens. However, the only active cornerback on the depth chart is Kool-Aid McKinstry. After trading Marshon Lattimore to the Commanders, Paulson Adebo was never the same even before suffering from his season-ending injury. It’s easy to see why Adebo wants to test the market and not return to the Saints since the cornerback situation doesn’t seem to get any better, especially with the financial situation the team is in.
Samuel might be able to find a role as the mainstay of this unit and excel with some younger talent. It won’t run perfectly but perhaps, the Saints could offer a bargain for his services, especially since he’s coming off a worrisome injury to bolster the defensive secondary.
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