The Detroit Lions decided to stand pat at the trade deadline, meaning all eyes are on free agents and the waiver wire to find much-needed upgrades. One of the top cornerback names on the market could soon find himself suiting up for one of the Lions' division rivals.
According to Jordan Schultz of The Schultz Report, free agent CB Asante Samuel Jr. is scheduled to have visits with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. That is, if his visit on Wednesday with the upstart 5-4 Carolina Panthers doesn't result in a deal.
Samuel, the son of All-Pro CB and New England Patriots' legend Asante Samuel Sr., was medically cleared earlier this week after undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in April. Samuel played four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after being selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Samuel started 47 games and snagged six interceptions in his young career.
Lions' secondary is beginning to get healthy
While the Lions may still try to schedule a visit with Samuel, they do have reasons to hold off for the time being. Their "Legion of Whom" recently shut down Baker Mayfield and the explosive Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense. Their performance last Sunday against the Vikings may not have been as inspiring, but it's clear they've earned trust with the coaching staff.
CB Terrion Arnold made his return this past Sunday and recorded his first career interception. Arnold's impact was immediately felt, and he's beginning to blossom into the CB everyone hoped he'd be. According to Al Karsten of Pride of Detroit, Arnold has allowed a 38.1 passer rating since Week 4, which is second-best in the NFL during that stretch.
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More reinforcements are on the way, too. Safety Brian Branch returned last Sunday as well after serving a one-game suspension for a post-game scuffle after the loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. S Kerby Joseph is nursing a knee injury and could be back soon. This Sunday, against the Washington Commanders, is also the earliest CB D.J. Reed can come off the injured reserve, after missing the past four games with a hamstring injury.
The Lions could never have too much depth at CB, but with the secondary getting healthier and their current depth proving they can step up, attention is shifting to a bigger need -- offensive line. Numerous injuries, including the season loss of guard Christian Mahogany, have made OL a greater priority. On Wednesday alone, the Lions signed three OL players to the practice squad.
Lions fans will be closely following Samuel, wherever he goes, and how he performs when he returns to the field. In a competitive NFC North and wild card, these late-season signings could be the difference between winning a division or missing the playoffs entirely. Let's hope the decisions general manager Brad Holmes makes in the coming weeks are the correct ones, even if it means letting Samuel go to a division rival.