First-year head coach Jim Harbaugh has the Chargers defense playing like one of the best units in football, but impending free agent Asante Samuel Jr. might not be part of the long-term plans. A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Florida State product was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise disastrous Brandon Staley defense. After enduring some rookie growing pains, Samuel established himself as a reliable starter in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Unfortunately, Samuel is having a contract season to forget, as he doesn’t seem to fit in defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s scheme. Sliding down the depth chart, the Florida State product’s 59.3 PFF grade currently ranks 80th out of 109 eligible cornerbacks (pending Monday Night Football). Despite the relative dropoff in play and opportunity, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that “there will be no shortage of teams” pursuing the cornerback if he hits the open market. While predicting the free agent market is never easy, nobody should be surprised if Asante Samuel lands with the Kansas City Chiefs or Minnesota Vikings.
Chiefs, Vikings Could Sign Impending Free Agent Asante Samuel Jr.
If any team should know how to get the most out of a free agent like Asante Samuel, it’s a division rival like the Kansas City Chiefs. Playing against him twice a year for four years, head coach Andy Reid and General Manager Brett Veach should have a solid idea of what he brings to the table. The Chiefs don’t desperately need cornerbacks, as Trent McDuffie is one of the best in the game and fourth-round pick Jaylen Watson showed promise before suffering his ankle injury. However, when you’re a team like the Chiefs, you should have more than two reliable starters in your secondary.
One of the downsides to having Patrick Mahomes as your quarterback is that opposing teams will throw the ball early and often to match Kansas City’s offense. While that hasn’t been the case in 2024, the Chiefs must build their roster as if Mahomes and company will return to their elite form in 2025. With this in mind, the Chiefs should have at least three reliable cornerbacks on the field on every single down. Asante Samuel shouldn’t break the bank as a free agent and should fit well in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme.
The Brian Flores Scheme
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has built yet another ferocious defense and could earn a head coaching job at the end of the season. However, if he returns, the team could make a push for Asante Samuel as a free agent. Flores runs one of the most aggressive defenses in football, and you need reliable cornerbacks for this scheme to run properly. Cornerbacks Byron Murphy, Stephon Gilmore, and Shaquill Griffin are all set to hit the open market, so this secondary will look different in 2024.
Murphy is having a strong season and could return, but age seems to be catching up to Gilmore and Griffin. Samuel is a considerably younger player whose aggressive nature and nose for the ball make him a perfect fit for Flores. He might give up the occasional chunk play, but that’s a price you happily pay for a cornerback who makes game-changing plays at a higher rate than most.
Main Photo: Jim Dedmon – USA Today Sports
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