Asante Samuel Jr. Fantasy Stats

Free-agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. is signing an undisclosed deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice squad on Tuesday, a source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Samuel was a top-25 free agent back in March, but he was recovering from spinal-fusion surgery, which delayed his move to a new team. He has now latched on with a new team and will get a new start for the second half of the 2025 season for a team that has disappointed on defense despite other key offseason additions on that side of the ball. The 26-year-old defensive back will work his way up to full speed on Pittsburgh's practice squad, but he could be the obvious replacement for Darius Slay, who suffered a concussion in the Week 10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football. Samuel played in only four games in 2024 in his final year with the Bolts, but the Steelers will be hoping he can return to his pre-injury form.

Free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (spine) has been cleared to play and is now making his rounds of visits with teams, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Those include the Panthers on Wednesday, Packers on Thursday, Vikings on Friday, 49ers on Monday, Bears on Tuesday, and Steelers on Wednesday. Samuel underwent spinal fusion surgery in April and has now been cleared to return to action. The 26-year-old has been a solid player for his career, but the injury has caused concerns for some teams. Samuel will likely make his decision on which one to sign within the next week once his visits conclude.

The Miami Dolphins have reached out to free-agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., according to the Miami Herald. The organization dealt All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for All-Pro and former Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick last week, so they are in the market for a veteran corner. Samuel was a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Florida State by the Los Angeles Chargers. In 50 career games, he tallied 176 tackles (148 solo), 37 pass deflections, six interceptions, and one fumble recovery. A significant shoulder injury limited the 25-year-old to just four games in 2024.

The Miami Dolphins have reached out to free-agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (neck), according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Although the Dolphins have not made him an offer or even hosted him for a visit, Jackson reports the team continues to keep tabs on the cornerback, and a deal could come to fruition in July. Any sort of negotiations are unlikely to commence until the Dolphins reach a resolution with Jalen Ramsey, whom they want to trade. If Ramsey is dealt, then the Dolphins would have an open roster spot plus additional salary cap space to use on Samuel. Of course, signing Samuel would be contingent on him passing a physical, as he's recovering from offseason neck surgery. He appeared in just four games for the Chargers last season, breaking up two passes and making 13 tackles.

Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (neck) is one of the top free-cornerbacks in this year's class, but he's still waiting to sign with a new team after he had neck surgery in April, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Samuel visited with the New Orleans Saints on Monday. The 25-year-old defensive back has a checkup scheduled in early July, after which he'll reconvene with several interested teams. Samuel plans on returning to the field in 2025 after making just four starts with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024 due to neck and shoulder injuries. The former second-rounder (47th overall) in 2021 out of Florida State has 176 tackles (148 solo), six interceptions, 37 pass breakups and a fumble recovery in 50 regular-season games (47 starts) for the Bolts since entering the league in 2021. He should definitely latch on with a new team before training camp in July.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo said that concerns about cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.'s (neck, shoulder) medicals have really put a damper on his free-agent market this offseason. Garafolo believes that Samuel would have already signed by now if there weren't concerns about injuries that limited him to a career-low four games played in 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 25-year-old did take a visit to the Arizona Cardinals this offseason, but he remains on the open market with the NFL draft right around the corner. The former second-round pick (47th overall) in 2021 by the Chargers out of Florida State is still young and has plenty of ability when healthy, so he should eventually land with a team once he's recovered from his injuries. In his first three years with the Bolts, Samuel had 163 tackles (137 solo), six interceptions, 35 pass breakups and a fumble recovery in 46 games (43 starts).

Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Asante Samuel Jr. (head) exited Sunday Night Football versus the Steelers early with an injury. The 22-year-old sustained a head injury during the second half and will not return to the contest. It's likely that Samuel will go into the league's concussion protocol entering next week, and he'll have to get back on the practice field if he hopes to get cleared in time for a Week 12 date against the division-rival Denver Broncos.

NFL Network's Brian Baldinger praised Florida State cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. on Monday and could see Samuel being selected in the first round of this Thursday's NFL draft. "I mean, it's a cornerback-driven league as much as it's a quarterback-driven league. I think five could go and I think Asante Samuel is going to be one of those five. Asante isn't one of those 6-foot-plus corners, but he does everything else well. And, unlike his dad, he tackles well." He has the NFL bloodlines, but while he may lack size, Samuel Jr. can change direction quickly and is smooth in his movements. Because taller wideouts may get the best of him at the next level, Samuel might be better as a zone cornerback, which makes his team fit more important.