The New England Patriots already found a cornerback to play alongside of Christian Gonzalez, signing Carlton Davis in free agency. However, the Patriots could still afford to add some depth at the position.
One potential option remaining on the free-agent market is Asante Samuel Jr., who spent the first four years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers and was mostly impressive when healthy.
Brian Hines of Pats Pulpit addressed the possibility of New England potentially signing Samuel in a recent fan mailbag, and he doesn't seem to think it's a match, neither from a stylistic standpoint nor from a health perspective.
"I do think the nickel corner spot remains one that could be upgraded at some point here," Hines wrote. "Marcus Jones may not be the future at that spot due to his injury history as he enters the final year of his contract while options behind him remain largely unproven. I’m not sure if Samuel, who has spent the majority of his career out wide, is that guy due to his concerns as a tackler, especially now coming off neck surgery."
Of course, Samuel's father enjoyed a very impressive tenure withi the Patriots between 2003 and 2007, but the junior Samuel is not quite like his dad.
Again, Samuel has been solid, but he has not quite been a Pro Bowl or All-Pro talent, and the fact that he is recovering from neck surgery (Samuel played in just four games in 2024) is definitely a red flag. Rumor has it that teams won't even be considering signing the 25-year-old until July after he goes for a neck check-up.
A former second-round pick, Samuel's most productive campaign came in 2023, when he appeared in every contest and registered 63 tackles, a couple of interceptions and 13 passes defended.
