One of the more surprising storylines this offseason has been the lack of a strong market for popular cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. Despite visiting a few teams, no deal has materialized so far.
The hesitation appears to stem from a recent neck injury that required surgery, which raises concerns about his health and availability. Still, Samuel remains a talented and versatile defender that could help a lot of teams.
Here are five ideal landing spots that could benefit from adding him.
Where should Asante Samuel Jr. sign for the 2025 NFL Season?
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are known for taking flyers on players and then turning them into star players on their defense. This seems like an ideal landing spot for Samuel for that exact reason. He is a very talented player who could really use a standout year to reset his market. For the Eagles, this would be another luxury pickup that may actually play a role for them. They have Dejean and Mitchell, but that CB3 role is a bit more up in the air after Isaiah Rodgers left. Maybe the Eagles take a swing on a talented player that could be a key contributor if health does not hurt his season.
New Orleans Saints
Samuel has already visited with the Saints, and there does appear to be some interest on both sides. For Samuel, this would be a solid spot to instantly compete for starting snaps on the outside opposite of Kool-Aid. As for the Saints, they already have one outside corner spot filled, and the nickel appears to be taken by Alontae Taylor. In competition for the other outside corner spot are unproven players Isaac Yiadom and Quincy Riley. If the Saints want to take a step forward in the secondary, Samuel could be a plug-and-play free agent option.
Green Bay Packers
With Jaire Alexander’s departure, the Packers cornerback room enters 2025 with a lot to prove. While Carrington Valentine and Keisean Nixon are solid starters, the group lacks depth and a true game-changer. That’s what makes this a perfect landing spot for Samuel; he joins a competitive rotation and a team ready to take the next step this season.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins cornerback room is shaky heading into 2025, with unproven players like Jason Marshall Jr., Storm Duck, and Cam Smith all competing for a starting role. For Samuel, this would be an ideal situation, because he’d immediately have a strong chance to compete for a starting spot. And for Miami, adding a proven veteran brings much-needed experience, versatility, and at the very least, valuable depth to the secondary.
Dallas Cowboys
This may be a wild card pick, but this pickup could make sense for both sides. This offseason, Dallas lost Jourdan Lewis to the Jaguars, and even though they did pick up Shavon Revel, he will likely stick to playing outside corner. With Bland converting to a full outside corner role a few years ago, it would not make much sense to force him back inside, especially after showing elite play in 2023. Samuel has the versatility to play inside for Dallas, and he’d have the chance to contribute significantly on a competitive team.