The New Orleans Saints made plenty of moves this offseason — but quantity didn’t equal quality. With a new head coach, a reshuffled quarterback room, and the loss of several key veterans in the secondary, the roster looks dramatically different heading into 2025. And not necessarily in a good way.
Paulson Adebo left in free agency, and with Marshon Lattimore traded to the Washington Commanders last season, the Saints are thin at corner, a concerning issue in today’s NFL. But they can still find upgrades on the open market and have been named as the top landing spot for a promising 25-year-old starter.
Can the New Orleans Saints Sign Asante Samuel Jr.?
Losing two key veterans on the secondary was a significant blow to the Saints’ defense, which already ranked 19th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric. They have done very little to improve their chances of improving their rank next season.
The only notable addition to the cornerback room was fourth-round pick Quincy Riley. With a clear need to upgrade and add talent, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder named Asante Samuel Jr. the perfect candidate for the Saints.
However, the big caveat is Samuel’s health. A shoulder and neck injury limited him to just four games in 2024, and according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he underwent neck surgery in April.
“Fowler also reported that Samuel met with the Saints in May,” Holder wrote. “That pairing would make a lot of sense, as New Orleans is looking to rebuild and could use some help at cornerback after trading Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders in November and letting Paulson Adebo walk in free agency.”
If the surgery is successful, Samuel can be a solid starter for the Saints. He’s only 25 and has flashed elite traits during his career after being picked 47th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The son of former two-time Super Bowl champion CB Asante Samuel, Samuel Jr. appeared in 12 games as a rookie and recorded 43 tackles and two interceptions. He improved to 57 tackles as a sophomore while matching the number of picks and passes defended (11) in his rookie season.
ASANTE SAMUEL JR’S THIRD INT OF THE HALF! #SuperWildCard
📺: #LACvsJAX on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LG9lf52l9m pic.twitter.com/fCECWjNCsl— NFL (@NFL) January 15, 2023
The 2023 season marked his career best, recording 63 tackles, two interceptions, and eight passes defended. The 25-year-old only appeared in four games last season and tallied 13 tackles and two passes defended before being placed on the injured reserve in Week 6 of the 2024 season and missing the entire season.
Samuel is projected to sign a four-year contract worth $45.8 million by Spotrac. While the teams wouldn’t want to give a long-term commitment due to Samuel’s neck issue, the Saints have once again postponed their bill to next season and can offer him something around a two-year deal between $15 and $20 million.