Steelers Sign Former Chargers CB Asante Samuel JR

Samuel Jr.'s Injury

Samuel Jr. entered last offseason as one of the top free agents at the cornerback position, but he remained on the open market far longer than expected due to an injury.

During the 2024 campaign, he landed on the reserve/injured list in Week 6 with what was initially described as a shoulder injury. Samuel Jr. wouldn't return from that point forward, limiting him to four games on the season, serving as the precursor to spinal fusion surgery this offseason, which was performed by Steelers neurosurgeon David Okonkwo.

He was just recently cleared for football activities, though, which spurned a ton of interest in the former second-round pick.

Why Samuel Jr. Is a Big Move for Pittsburgh

Samuel Jr. drew plenty of attention from other playoff-contending teams around the league, but he ultimately decided to close out the year as a member of the Steelers.

During his time with the Chargers, Samuel Jr. played in 50 games for them while making 46 starts as primarily an outside corner. During that timeframe, he posted 176 tackles and six interceptions while allowing 154 catches on 259 targets in coverage, per Pro Football Reference.

Pittsburgh's secondary has not lived up to expectations thus far, which is a result of both underperformance and injuries. With Jalen Ramsey seemingly entrenched at free safety, there is an opening for Samuel Jr. to come in and establish himself as a key piece of the team's defense the rest of the way.

Though he'll head to the Steelers as a practice squad member, the expectation is that he'll be sign to the 53-man roster in short order.

Darius Slay Jr. is currently in the concussion protocol and has been far from a shutdown corner while playing alongside Joey Porter Jr. as the team's primary boundary options. Furthermore, Brandin Echols is coming off his worst game as a Steeler in Week 10 vs. the Chargers, giving up eight receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown according to Pro Football Focus.

Though it could take a bit of time for Samuel Jr. to get back up to speed and truly round into form, he's a quality corner with plenty of starting experience in the NFL who could elevate the performance of Pittsburgh's secondary during its postseason push.