Examining the Asante Samuel Jr. Signing with Steelers
p/c: Kirby Lee
The Pittsburgh Steelers are adding another key name to their secondary, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. is signing with the Steelers’ practice squad.
Samuel is the son of four-time Pro Bowl CB and two-time Super Bowl champion, Asante Samuel Sr.
The Los Angeles Chargers selected Samuel in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
In four seasons with the Chargers, Samuel recorded six interceptions, along with 37 pass deflections, and a 92.3 passer rating against.
The 26-year-old Samuel was expected to be one of top cornerbacks on the free agent market. However, his stock dropped drastically, as he underwent spinal-fusion surgery in April.
Aside from the Steelers, the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and San Francisco 49ers were said to have had interest in wanting to sign Samuel.
Assessment of the signing: Now that Samuels is fully cleared to play football again, he will eventually look to add a true presence as an outside corner, to a Steelers’ secondary that currently has the worst pass defense in the AFC.
Jalen Ramsey began the season on the outside, but has struggled in coverage so much that he’s now been moved to a free safety role. Another veteran CB, Darius Slay, hasn’t fared any better, and is dealing with injuries. The addition of Samuels will hopefully rectify the issue.
If Samuels can remain healthy, and return close to the level he did, prior to his neck surgery, then it’s a terrific, flyer for the Steelers.