NFL analyst names San Francisco 49ers as best fit for one of the youngest remaining free agents on the market

The 2025 NFL Draft may be in the books, but the San Francisco 49ers could still look to add more talent to their roster.

Some of the top free agents that the 49ers have signed during the offseason include tight end Luke Farrell, wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, and safety Jason Pinnock. They have also suffered some key losses, such as S Talanoa Hufanga, WR Deebo Samuel, and cornerback Charvarius Ward.

San Francisco was able to replenish their roster with their 11 draft selections, putting a heavy emphasis on defense. Six of its first eight picks were on the defensive side of the ball, with four of them being used within the front seven of the unit. However, the secondary could still use some more firepower. According to NFL.com analyst Jeffri Chadiha, free agent CB Asante Samuel Jr. would be a great fit for the Niners.

"San Francisco makes sense for Samuel for two reasons. One is that he’s likely to be available at a very affordable price now that the draft has passed. The other is that the 49ers are thin at cornerback -- they lost Charvarius Ward, Rock Ya-Sin and Isaac Yiadom from last year’s team -- and play a zone-heavy system that could allow Samuel to flourish. The big knocks on Samuel after his four seasons with the Chargers were his tackling and lack of consistency in press coverage. He also dealt with a lingering neck/shoulder injury that limited him to four games last season (and continued to dog him earlier this offseason). If the 49ers could land Samuel on a one-year, prove-it deal, he might flourish under defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and create a chance for a massive long-term deal. Samuel is only 25 and one of the best remaining free agents on the market. This could be a win-win for both sides." - Jeffri Chadiha

It's not often that such a young player is still a free agent this late into the offseason, especially at a premium position. Chadiha noted some of the issues Samuel has had throughout his career, but six interceptions and 35 passes defended in three years is pretty impressive. Given his playmaking ability, age, and affordability, there's really no reason for Niners not to take a flyer on Samuel.