Despite starting for the Chargers during the first four years of his career, free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. has gone without a deal since last season ended. Injury concerns have played a major role in that. After playing just four games in 2024, Samuel underwent spinal fusion surgery last April. The 26-year-old was finally cleared for football activities earlier this week, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Now ready to resume his career, Samuel is drawing interest from teams and could serve as a second-half reinforcement for the club that signs him. He has already lined up visits with the Panthers, Packers, and Vikings, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz (Matt Schneidman of The Athletic first reported Green Bay’s interest).
Carolina is hosting Samuel on Wednesday, Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer relays. The Panthers weren’t expected to contend for a playoff spot this year, but they’re in the mix at 5-4 after upsetting the Packers in Lambeau Field last week.
After Jaycee Horn, their No. 1 cornerback, Mike Jackson and slot corner Chau Smith-Wade have gotten most of the playing time at the position. With a middle-of-the-pack pass defense that ranks 15th in the NFL, the Panthers may regard Samuel as a worthwhile addition.
The Packers have allowed just 197 passing yards per game, good for ninth in the league, but their interest in Samuel comes as corner Nate Hobbs is dealing with a Grade 1 MCL sprain. Hobbs, who left the Packers’ loss to the Panthers with the injury, is expected to miss at least two games, Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports.
With Hobbs temporarily unavailable, the Packers are down to Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Bo Melton, and Kamal Hadden at corner. Melton, a converted receiver, and Hadden bring minimal defensive experience to the table. With that in mind, the Packers’ interest in Samuel makes sense.
The 4-4 Vikings, trying to catch the NFC North-leading Packers (5-2-1), rank one spot ahead of Green Bay against the pass. Minnesota has 2024 Pro Bowler Byron Murphy and offseason free agent signing Isaiah Rodgers on hand as starting corners. Murphy and Rodgers have each logged a defensive snap share upward of 91% this year, but depth concerns may lead to a Samuel signing. Jeff Okudah, the third overall pick of the Lions in 2020, has struggled when healthy and is now battling his second concussion of the season. Meanwhile, Fabian Moreau and Dwight McGlothern have combined for just 57 defensive snaps in 2025.
Considering Samuel is a former second-round pick who intercepted two passes in each of his first three seasons, even more suitors could emerge now that he’s healthy. With the trade deadline having passed, Samuel may be the best hope for a team to acquire an impact player over the final couple months of the season.
Gotta love ‘Player safety!!!’. Letting this guy play w/ a fused backbone while not fining the Vikings for knowingly letting their QB play with one shoulder who is now on the IR because their #1 was able to play.
Life seems hard for you
Not hard at all. But stop w/ the BS about NFL & NFLPA caring for players. It’s a myth.
I mean based off this logic, why should the NFL allow anyone who has experienced a major injury back on the field??? There’s a chance they could experience another injury to that body part?
Also this is not a fused backbone, but rather a cervical fusion that would have been performed. Depending on which disc was removed and fused, would also factor into this. Spinal fusions have come along way in the last 30 years. What used to be a 2 day hospital stay is now an outpatient surgery.
I agree w/ your point. My point is they need to stop blasting the airwaves about player safety. Neither the NFL nor NFLPA ‘cares’ about the players; they care about making money. Simple as that.
What does a medically cleared player returning to the sport have anything to do with the league and union wanting to keep safeguards in place for head injuries and artificial turf non-contact injuries? Your complaining makes no sense. Just because someone WAS injured doesn’t mean that all of “player safety” is some sort of BS…actually it means player safety is WORKING if anything since he had to go through several steps in order to get cleared. Additionally the Wentz situation isnt even close to meriting a fine. His injury status was reported per procedure. He knew the scope of the injury. He chose to play, as it was his non-throwing shoulder and he could do all essential parts of his job. He also couldn’t do further structural damage by playing neither. It was mostly question of pain-tolerance.
And seriously you think Wentz is only example of this? How many players immediately have some sort of surgery RIGHT after the season ends. Its the nature of the sport…the best ability is availability
Oh and thats why PLAYER SAFETY actually matters. And why its been working better than it did a generation ago, even if there is far to go. Because there will always be a Tua who looks like hes doing the robot after taking a hit, wanting to stay in the game. There will always be a random linebacker with a club on his hand for his broken digits.
You moaning about fines and a guy who is now HEALTHY coming back to play is just…odd? Misdirected? Pointless? Or…Non-Sensical. There it is.
Why would the league fine the Vikings when it was Wentz who said he wanted to keep playing? The coach can’t diagnose how bad Wentz’s shoulder was on the sideline and can only go off what the player says. As for the fused spine doctors cleared him, so legally why wouldn’t the NFL allow him to play? Neither of your points make any sense.
Their doctors can diagnose the injuries. That’s what they are paid for. All teams let injured players play injured. Stop with ‘player safety’ nonsense.
You certainly seem to be pretty positive about what “all teams” think and do when all your information comes from random X accounts and fan blogs.
I hope he stays healthy fused back and football don’t seem to be a match made in heaven. Stay away from unneeded pile ups.
4-4-1 Vikings? When did we tie?
The VIKINGS are 4-4-0.
Unlike DAD, they didn’t get a TIE !!
Packers need to improve their secondary. Can’t always depend on the pass rush getting there and covering up the shortcomings. Why not give Samuel Jr. the opportunity since they did nothing leading up to the deadline other than Parsons?
I wish he’d come to the patriots
He’ll be an Eagle soon.