Chargers all but confirm Asante Samuel Jr.'s fate with failed deadline pursuit

The NFL trade deadline came and went without the LA Chargers making any moves. Los Angeles was a finalist for Pro-Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore but did not get a deal done as the Washington Commanders ultimately won the sweepstakes.

While the Chargers did not pull off the Lattimore move or make any other trades, the failed attempt at adding the former first-round pick was telling about the team's future intentions.

Most notably, the near-trade for Lattimore has big implications for fourth-year cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. The second-round pick is in the last year of his rookie contract and is currently on the IR with a shoulder injury. Trying to add Lattimore wasn't just about replacing Samuel while he was hurt, it was about replacing him in the future as well.

Chargers all but confirm Asante Samuel's time is running out with Marshon Lattimore pursuit

The Chargers would not have been in the market for the most expensive player of the deadline if they were ready to sign Samuel to a new contract in the winter. But the Bolts were pursuing Lattimore, and it does not bode well for Samuel.

Samuel is already starting to get phased out of the bigger picture for the Chargers while he is on the shelf. Rookies Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still have been excellent. When everyone is healthy, including Samuel, the former Florida State Seminole may not even be a starter.

Kristian Fulton, who also missed Week 9 with an injury, is also on an expiring contract. If the rookies did not step up in 2024 and Fulton did not play well then the Chargers may have simply been forced to re-sign Samuel.

However, with impressive returns from the rookies and the Chargers trying to trade for a top corner who is locked down for several years, it is safe to assume that the team is considering other long-term plans for the cornerback position.

The Chargers may not have landed Lattimore but the future is still uneasy for Samuel in Los Angeles. Unless the Chargers completely strike out in free agency, there now seems to be a good chance that Samuel will be donning a different uniform in 2025.

That is unless he can get healthy this season and finally reach the level of play Chargers fans have been waiting for. If that happens then the situation can change, but it is unlikely.