The New Orleans Saints brought in free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. for a visit this offseason, but will have to wait to make a decision. According to a report, the Saints could finally sign a cornerback to salvage their unit as long as Samuel is ready to go in July. Originally selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the former Florida State product was one of the most reliable defenders for the Los Angeles Chargers before injuries caught up to his progress. This is why the Chargers could re-sign Samuel, since he’s worth the risk for a new contract, so it’s easy to see why he’s still on the market.
Nobody wants to take that extra step to wait on an injured athlete, but the Saints are very desperate for a change in their secondary unit. They know Kool-Aid McKinstry and Alontae Taylor won’t be able to carry this cornerback department, so they’re no stranger to the potential they will get out of Samuel once he’s healthy. Last season, they let go of Marshon Lattimore in a trade due to injuries and cap space that they could no longer hold onto. The Saints have one of the worst cap spaces in the league, and that’s why they could re-sign Paulson Adebo, who had his fair share of injuries.
Chiefs, Panthers Could Intervene in Saints Free Agent Asante Samuel Jr. Visit
More Help for McDuffie
The Kansas City Chiefs could explore adding more depth to their secondary unit. Despite signing Kristian Fulton to finally provide some relief alongside Trent McDuffie, they could have someone like Samuel on a rotational basis. Last season, many thought the secondary wasn’t going to be the same without L’Jarius Sneed, but former Chief Justin Reid made a lot of impactful plays to make that happen. With that, the Chiefs should sign Samuel to bolster the defensive pass secondary.
Jaylen Watson has been reportedly named a trade candidate this offseason, and if they do move on, they could easily bring in Samuel to at least a one-year deal. Being that Fulton will be a part of this group, he still has a history of injuries that could come back to haunt him. Samuel has the same issue, but these two play it out on a rotational basis, like they are in Los Angeles, and explode better on a championship roster like the Chiefs.
Extra Depth in Carolina
Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers could use another slot cornerback for depth. They’ve re-signed two capable defenders in Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, but these two can’t carry the pass secondary alone. Last season, they had the league’s worst cornerback unit, but signing Asante Samuel could put them in the winning category. Samuel doesn’t need to start to make an impact, but enough to make a few plays down the stretch and improve the chances of Carolina towards their first postseason in a while.
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