The Las Vegas Raiders defensive backfield enters the 2025 NFL season without a surefire star on the cornerback depth chart, which could see the team turn to free agency to add a veteran presence to the secondary.
Well, one NFL writer believes the Raiders should consider pursuing former Los Angeles Chargers CB Asante Samuel Jr. to help bolster the cornerback room entering their Week 1 matchup against the New England Patriots.
Raiders Wire Urges Las Vegas to Pursue CB Asante Samuel Jr.
Justin Melo of Raiders Wire (USA Today) had a pretty basic question for fans of the Silver & Black… Should the Raiders consider signing CB Asante Samuel Jr.? Well, he believes they should at least consider the possibility given the current state of their cornerback room.
“Eric Stokes, rookie Darien Porter, Decamerion Richardson, and Kyu Blu Kelly have all been competing for reps outside. The cornerbacks collectively struggled in Saturday’s preseason Week 2 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers. Starting quarterback Brock Purdy completed 5-of-7 passing attempts. Backup Mac Jones came in and carved Vegas’ secondary up, completing 13-of-16 passes, though he did throw an interception. Stokes was credited by Pro Football Focus with allowing three receptions and 41 yards on three targets,” wrote Melo. “Samuel Jr. is a 25-year-old cornerback and former second-round pick. He’s been a stellar NFL cornerback, but dealt with neck and shoulder injuries last year that ended his season prematurely. The unknown status of Samuel Jr.’s health is why he remains available in free agency.”
Samuel played just four games in 2024 while dealing with a shoulder injury that cost him the majority of last season and saw him receive offseason neck surgery. The FSU product finished with just 13 total tackles and two passes defended last season.
Is Asante Samuel Jr. a Good Scheme Fit for Pete Carroll’s Defense?
The current collection of unproven options in the Raiders secondary does make Samuel a potential option for Pete Carroll, but does come with scheme fit questions if the Raiders decide to pursue the former second-round pick.
Melo added, “The Raiders would also have to assess Samuel Jr.’s fit in Pete Carroll’s defense. Coach Carroll tends to prefer bigger, longer corners. Samuel Jr. was listed at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds at the NFL combine, and he’s more of a man-coverage defender as opposed to a Cover 3 Zone cornerback. Regardless, the Raiders look like they could use help at cornerback, and Samuel Jr. would be worth checking in with.”
Samuel doesn’t exactly fit the mold of Richard Sherman or Brandon Brower, who were both physically imposing corners who have elite height and length measurables, but his veteran presence alone could be a stabilizing force for a secondary without a clear-cut top corner.
Samuel has been a consistent performer since stepping onto an NFL field, which is evident by starting the first three years of his career with 40+ total tackles, 11+ passes defended, and two picks in all three seasons.
Samuel has been reliable in coverage, but has shown some signs of being a liability as a tackler, particularly in 2024. These issues could have been related to his injuries, but doesn’t fit the exact mold we’ve seen from Carroll-led secondary’s in the past.
If Samuel is fully healthy, then his talent and track record of production is certainly worth considering entering the upcoming season.
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