Earlier this month, I covered Asante Samuel Jr.'s progress, and he's been a name to watch as far as former Los Angeles Chargers go. Having neglected to re-sign the corner due to injury concerns, the Chargers allowed Samuel to walk and test the field. Last season, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who also handled his spinal fusion surgery and rehabilitation process.
Initially, when hitting free agency this offseason, there were looks to see if Samuel would move teams, but the Steelers brought him back on for a bargain deal of $6 million, and that deal is looking to pay off after just his first preseason appearance.
Starting cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and Jamel Dean were both largely held out of the preseason performance for the Steelers, with Porter Jr.'s impending contract extension looming over the camp and Dean getting veteran rest. With this being the case, Samuel Jr. saw the field for a large chunk of the game and quickly showed that he is back to form.
Asante Samuel Jr. continues to impress in Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp
While Samuel wasn't playing at 100% last season, he now looks to be back to form as the coverage corner he made a name for himself as with the Chargers, and the Steelers now look flush with depth in the secondary as Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, and Asante Samuel Jr. all stand as serviceable players in their roles at worst, and serious playmakers at the high end.
Asante Samuel made multiple plays when given the opportunity to see the field, including a major PBU on third down to prevent a huge gain and likely first down. He moved around the field, taking snaps from both the slot corner position as well as outside, and was certainly one of the standout players for the Steelers during their week 1 preseason performance.
Unfortunately, gushing about a former Charger doesn't change much in regards to the Chargers, but thankfully, the team seems to have its own matters in order in regards to the secondary. While letting Samuel Jr. walk might have been a mistake in terms of allowing a depth player and playmaking coverage corner to leave the building, after holding the Texans to a measly 105 passing yards, the secondary has provided no reason to lose confidence in their ability.
However, it's hard not to look at Samuel Jr. and picture him next to Tarheeb Still, former Steeler Donte Jackson, and Cam Hart for a serious four-fold corner room. Combine that sort of coverage with fan-favorite Derwin James, and the Chargers would undeniably have a scary secondary.
Unfortunately, timelines didn't line up, and the Chargers didn't see promise in Samuel Jr.'s future. We may hear his name more in the future as far as former Chargers go, but as far as mistakes go, we can hope this is a minor setback on the way to the Chargers fielding a dominant defense in their quest for a ring.
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