One week ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t make a move at the trade deadline under GM Omar Khan, opting to instead roll with the team that they had without trading away valuable 2026 NFL Draft picks.
That inaction angered the fan base and some in the media, but Khan and the Steelers always had a move up their sleeves. That move ended up being the addition of cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who signed to the Steelers’ practice squad Tuesday, giving Pittsburgh a significant boost — at least on paper — at a major position of need.
Along with the previous addition of veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the Steelers upgraded two spots without spending draft capital. How much the two can offer the Steelers on the field remains to be seen.
With Samuel, he hasn’t played football in more than a calendar year, suffering an injury in Week 4 last season, putting him on the shelf and eventually requiring spinal fusion surgery. A procedure performed by the Steelers’ neurosurgeon, Dr. David Okonkwo. He was cleared in the beginning of November though, putting a significant piece at the cornerback position back on the open market. After reported visits with the likes of the Packers, Bears, Panthers, Vikings and 49ers, Samuel landed with the Steelers.
When healthy he’s been a productive cover corner, recording double-digit pass breakups and at least two interceptions in each of his first three seasons prior to his 2024 campaign ending early. Primarily a boundary corner, Samuel has played 3,083 snaps defensively. Of those more than 3,000 career snaps, 2,853 have come at corner, with just 40 snaps in the slot, 176 snaps in the box, and 14 snaps with a defensive line alignment.
In his career, Samuel has been charged with allowing 161 receptions on 259 targets for 2,109 yards and 14 touchdowns. However, he has six interceptions and 30 pass breakups. With the Steelers struggling at outside corner with Joey Porter Jr. showing some inconsistency in Year 3 and failing to create splash, and 34-year-old Darius Slay at the end of his career, the Steelers are hoping Samuel could be a spark once he’s back into game shape.
What does Samuel offer the Steelers? Glad you asked. Let’s dive into the film room and see what Pittsburgh is getting in the 26-year-old Samuel.
COVERAGE
In his last full season healthy, Samuel recorded a coverage grade of 75.6 overall from Pro Football Focus. He has good size (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) and speed (4.45 40) for the position. He’s also the son of a Super Bowl-winning cornerback in Asante Samuel Sr., so the position is natural for him.
He’s much better in zone coverage, allowing him to read the quarterback’s eyes. But when in man coverage he has the understanding of what receivers are trying to do, and is able to break quickly on plays, especially when they are in front of him. He has legitimate closing speed, too.
Watch the way he runs underneath this crossing route in the end zone to break up the pass against the Vikings in 2023. He closed quickly at the end, undercutting the route and nearly coming away with the interception.
His ability to drive and close on throws and get to the catch point shows up consistently on tape.
Samuel is at the top of the screen here, once again taking on the Vikings in 2023. He uses a speed turn to get his head back outside and then drives downhill to disrupt the catch point on a target downfield to Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison.
There’s a lot of initial separation there in man-to-man, but the speed turn helps Samuel recover, and then he has the agility to fire downhill and get to the catch point to break up the pass.
Bottom of the screen here against Davante Adams in 2023 against the Raiders. You can see Samuel’s backpedal is a bit clunky (more on that later), but he reads the out route and is able to click and close quickly.
He’s not just playing the receiver, either. He’s really good at getting his hand into the catch point and breaking things up.
Samuel is a smart defender and understands leverage and positioning. He should, after all, considering his father was a great NFL cornerback. However, where I have real concerns with Samuel in coverage is in his backpedal.
It’s a bit choppy and clunky. He struggles to change directions and has a false step mixed into it. He’s also a bit slow opening up his hips, turning and running.
Here against the Titans in 2023, Samuel gets blown by on a go route from wide receiver Treylon Burks. Ryan Tannehill puts the ball up and Burks does the rest. You can see Samuel’s backpedal is a bit choppy, and there’s a slight hitch in him opening his hips to turn and run.
As he opens his hips, he tries to get some contact on Burks, but it’s no use. He does a good job of recovering late against Burks, keeping him out of the end zone, but it was a rough coverage rep.
Similar thing here in his backpedal, this time against the Patriots in 2023. At the top of the screen, he’s not opening his hips to turn and run, but you can see the false step in the top of his backpedal, giving the wide receiver just enough room to break inside and haul in the crossing route.
His feet just appear heavy in his backpedal. It’s something to monitor as he gets up to speed in Pittsburgh.
TACKLING
Though there’s going to be a greater emphasis on his abilities in coverage compared to tackling, it’s still important to take a look at what he brings to the table in the tackling department at the cornerback position.
To put it bluntly, it’s not great. Samuel has missed 35 tackles in his career, covering just three-and-a-quarter seasons. Those 35 missed tackles marks a 16.7 percent missed tackles rate. That’s cornering.
While he’s adequate in coverage, he leaves a lot to be desired in the tackling department. He doesn’t really attack downhill, and when he does he tends to dive low at the ball carrier’s lower half, typically aiming to cut the runner down rather than wrapping up.
He also tends to catch the ball carrier in space and hold them up for help, rather than tackling 1-on-1. Here in the open field after a quick completion to Jordan Addison against the Vikings, watch the way Samuel holds his ground, doesn’t attack, and catches Addison. He’s giving up valuable yards and isn’t playing with any physicality.
It’s good that he stays square and breaks down, but you need to have some physicality here as a tackler and try to dish out contact rather than receive it.
Teams tested Samuel throughout the 2023 season with quick throws to the perimeter, getting the ball to physical receivers to try and win after the catch against him.
The Raiders did it often with Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. In both instances, Samuel breaks down, but he’s not attacking. Instead, he’s trying to catch the ball carrier, absorbing contact. In both clips, Samuel catches a mean stiff-arm from the Raiders receivers.
A number of times in 2023, Samuel was credited with tackles by running receivers or running backs out of bounds. Rarely was he making open-field stops on his own. That’ll be something to keep an eye on, especially with him having neck surgery.
BALL SKILLS
This is where Samuel thrives, and could really be a great addition to the Steelers, assuming he’s able to get back to his level of play prior to the injury.
He has a great feel in man and zone coverage, and has been able to read the quarterback’s eyes and break on throws to make big-time plays. He’ll freelance at times and jump routes he probably shouldn’t within the play-call, but he’s made those gambles pay off with splash plays.
That’s just a remarkable play against the Raiders to seal a win, passing off Adams of all receivers to undercut a crossing route from Meyers and make a play on the ball in which the quarterback never expected him to be there.
You can’t teach that type of instincts and the ability to read the quarterback’s eyes. There’s just a feel, and he has it.
Similar thing here against the Colts in 2022. He has the trust in his safety over the top to pass off the vertical route, all while keeping his eyes in the backfield and reads the quarterback like a book, jumping the crossing route for the big-time interception, and setting the Chargers up in great field position.
He’s also shown the ability to make plays down the field on the ball, too. A great play here to pick off Patrick Mahomes on a deep shot intended for Mecole Hardman.
You can see Samuel’s backpedal isn’t all that good here, and he gets caught a bit flat-footed, allowing Hardman to get deep. But Samuel does a great job of recovering on the route and getting back into phase. I love the way he gets a hand on Hardman to feel where he is, and then turns and finds the ball for the interception.
Then, there’s this play, once again against the Raiders.
Unreal job by Samuel of reading the play, breaking off of his receiver and tracking this ball in the air to pick it off at the 1-yard line. Again, that’s just instincts and the ability to freelance and make a play.
That type of ability in coverage could be a real asset to the Steelers. He’s such a smart player and has a great feel for route concepts and when to pick his spots to try and make a play off script.
But there are concerns with his ability to turn and run with deep threats due to his heavy backpedal, and he’s not a guy that’s going to be all that physical. Missed tackles just might have to be something the Steelers live with for now.
Considering he was a signing that will cost very little and is a low-risk, high-reward move, Samuel is a sound addition to the Steelers as they continue to deal with attrition and underperformances in the secondary.
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