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Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. is once again being mentioned for the New Orleans Saints as a potential free agent destination. This past week, Mason Campbell of Pro Football Focus named the Saints as a fit for the Saints when free agency starts in March. The combination makes some sense, but only on the surface.
Samuel is the son of former standout cornerback Asante Samuel, a four-time Pro Bowler with the Patriots and Eagles from 2003 through 2013. Asante junior forged his own path as a two-time All-ACC selection with the Florida State Seminoles, leading to being a second round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL draft. Head coach of the Chargers at the time was Brandon Staley, the current defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. Staley was Samuel's coach for three of his first four NFL seasons. Over that span, Samuel had 9 interceptions with 41 passes broken up and allowed 59% completion rate when targeted.
A shoulder injury cost Samuel all but four games of the 2024 campaign. Upon hitting free agency last offseason, he was expected to be one of the most highly sought corners on the market. After new Saints head coach Kellen Moore added Brandon Staley to the staff, a Staley-Samuel reunion was predicted because of previous production and familiarity. New Orleans did show interest, but it was then revealed that Samuel had been dealing with neck issues that required surgery, causing him to miss a significant chunk of the 2025 season.
Once Samuel was medically cleared, he only showed interest in playoff contenders. He'd wind up signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he'd play six games with an interception, a pass breakup, and a 71% completion rate when targeted. The Saints fared much better without Samuel. The emergence of rookie corner Quincy Riley to go along with second-year Kool-Aid McKinstry and Alontae Taylor helped the New Orleans defense rank fourth against the pass.
An Asante Samuel Jr. pairing with the New Orleans Saints makes far less sense than it did a year ago. McKinstry and Riley are potential stars for a young Saints secondary. Samuel is just 26, but it's unclear if he's fully recovered from neck surgery or what kind of salary he'll be seeking. Cornerback isn't a big need for the Saints. However, that could change with the potential free agent departure of Alontae Taylor. Ranked 72nd by PFF in their top-100 free agents, Samuel could again garner some interest from New Orleans as a third corner if they lose Alontae Taylor.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints named best landing spot for free agent corner Asante Samuel Jr.
Continue reading...
Samuel is the son of former standout cornerback Asante Samuel, a four-time Pro Bowler with the Patriots and Eagles from 2003 through 2013. Asante junior forged his own path as a two-time All-ACC selection with the Florida State Seminoles, leading to being a second round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL draft. Head coach of the Chargers at the time was Brandon Staley, the current defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. Staley was Samuel's coach for three of his first four NFL seasons. Over that span, Samuel had 9 interceptions with 41 passes broken up and allowed 59% completion rate when targeted.
A shoulder injury cost Samuel all but four games of the 2024 campaign. Upon hitting free agency last offseason, he was expected to be one of the most highly sought corners on the market. After new Saints head coach Kellen Moore added Brandon Staley to the staff, a Staley-Samuel reunion was predicted because of previous production and familiarity. New Orleans did show interest, but it was then revealed that Samuel had been dealing with neck issues that required surgery, causing him to miss a significant chunk of the 2025 season.
Once Samuel was medically cleared, he only showed interest in playoff contenders. He'd wind up signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he'd play six games with an interception, a pass breakup, and a 71% completion rate when targeted. The Saints fared much better without Samuel. The emergence of rookie corner Quincy Riley to go along with second-year Kool-Aid McKinstry and Alontae Taylor helped the New Orleans defense rank fourth against the pass.
An Asante Samuel Jr. pairing with the New Orleans Saints makes far less sense than it did a year ago. McKinstry and Riley are potential stars for a young Saints secondary. Samuel is just 26, but it's unclear if he's fully recovered from neck surgery or what kind of salary he'll be seeking. Cornerback isn't a big need for the Saints. However, that could change with the potential free agent departure of Alontae Taylor. Ranked 72nd by PFF in their top-100 free agents, Samuel could again garner some interest from New Orleans as a third corner if they lose Alontae Taylor.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints named best landing spot for free agent corner Asante Samuel Jr.
Continue reading...
