Asante Samuel Jr. is one of the best cornerbacks still available in free agency, but his chances of finding a team for the 2025 season are looking slim with each passing day. Samuel was picked in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers and hasn’t quite found his footing in the league yet despite a strong start to his career.
Asante Samuel Jr.’s Injury History Is a Red Flag for NFL Teams
Some notable teams that have shown interest in Samuel recently include the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings. The cornerback even had a visit to Arizona but left without a deal.
The Vikings are the latest to reject Samuel, and one anonymous agent believes his chances of finding a team aren’t increasing anytime soon.
“I will tell you this much. I reached out to a prominent agent, an agent I’ve had a really good relationship going back a while. He represents, not Asante, but another relatively high-profile, available cornerback,” Darren Wolfson said during an appearance with SKOR North. “This agent told me on Monday, the Vikings just aren’t interested. And this agent thinks nothing is going to happen anytime soon.”
But what is the reason teams are not interested in signing Samuel, who has 37 passes defended already on his résumé as a 25-year-old? It’s his injury history, and NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the neck and shoulder injury that sidelined Samuel for 13 games in 2024 continues to be a problem and is seen as a red flag by the teams.
“It’s a medical thing. I’ve heard that from teams. It is a medical concern for him. If not, he’d be signed,” he noted.
“I know it was a medical thing that was really pausing his free agency.”@MikeGarafolo with the very latest regarding CB Asante Samuel Jr. pic.twitter.com/siRPZvI1QM
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) April 4, 2025
Samuel was placed on the injured reserve in Week 6 of the 2024 season and missed the entire season. He would only open up about his injury at the end of the season, telling ESPN’s Kris Rhim that he suffered a stinger/shoulder injury during practice. Rhim also noted the cornerback had said it was an issue he was dealing with since birth, making it more concerning for teams looking to sign him.
The 25-year-old only appeared in four games last season and tallied 13 tackles and two passes defended. He was coming off a career-best season in 2023, where he racked up 63 tackles, two interceptions, and eight passes defended. In his first two seasons with the Chargers, he tallied 100 tackles, four interceptions, and 22 passes defended.