What’s in store for Asante Samuel Jr. this year?
Since the Steelers re-signed Asante Samuel Jr., they signed a starting cornerback in free agency and added a third-round pick. Going into training camp, it’s unclear where he stands on the depth chart, who when he might play. Having been a starter for most of his time in the NFL, his career has clearly changed course rather abruptly.
A former second-round pick, Asante Samuel was a regular starter for the Chargers on his rookie contract before a severe neck injury changed his plans. And, as we found out, NFL teams’ plans for him. His recovery from neck surgery bled into the regular season in 2025. By appearances, it seems the Steelers may have been the only team to take a real chance on him.
Even given his injury, in consideration of his past, Samuel didn’t have much of a market in free agency. He re-signed with the Steelers, agreeing to just a one-year, $4 million contract. That was before they signed Jamel Dean, who will start, to a three-year deal worth many times that. And later on in the offseason, they drafted Daylen Everette, a third-round pick with an impressive offseason.
The Steelers already have Dean, Joey Porter Jr., and Jalen Ramsey as their starting cornerbacks. And they have their safeties, too, in DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker. With Brandin Echols a backup slot and Everette trying to work his way in, where does Asante Samuel fit?
Some who cover the team, like Mark Kaboly, seem to believe he is a piece the Steelers may eventually move. If Everette sufficiently impresses and a team with a cornerback injury comes calling, they may be tempted. But as the coaches have already said earlier this offseason, you can’t have enough depth.
If Daylen Everette ends up taking the top backup job from Asante Samuel, is that such a problem for Pittsburgh? Not really, and you’ll be glad to have him if you have two injuries. But what does the 2026 season hold for him? it’s certainly not a linear path back to full-time starter, like he might have envisioned going into 2026.
The Steelers have a long road ahead of them under Mike McCarthy, along with his cadre of quarterbacks.With seven consecutive postseason losses, and no wins in nearly a decade, they are under fire for their repeated playoff failures. While we have seen many changes, none could dream of topping Mike Tomlin resigning.
We’re already deep into the offseason, with free agency and the draft already reshaping rosters. The Steelers, of course, are used to early offseason mode as a team thatloses by the middle of January all the time. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
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