Proposed Cowboys signing adds projected $45 million Chargers free agent

The status of Los Angeles Chargers free-agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. remains up in the air, as the former second-round pick remains available on the open market.

A Chargers-Samuel reunion seems unlikely at this point, but it can't be ruled out, either. After all, Los Angeles does need more depth at cornerback, especially after losing Kristian Fulton.

However, Last Word on Sports' Samuel Massad thinks it's possible Samuel will land in a different spot, with the analyst proposing a signing with the Dallas Cowboys.

"The Cowboys can’t roll into training camp with hopes and prayers at a key position like corner," he wrote. "They need competition. They need depth. Signing Samuel certainly comes with risk, but it’s the kind of swing that could quietly pay off in a big way. Dallas passed on Samuel in the 2021 draft in favor of Kelvin Joseph — oops! They have a shot to make up for that, and this time, they can do it at a discount."

The Cowboys have a ton of injury concerns in the cornerbacks room, with Trevon Diggs' status being the most troubling. Diggs suffered a torn ACL in 2023 and had another knee surgery in January, leaving his status for the start of 2025 up in the air.

Samuel has injury concerns of his own, especially after missing all but four games in 2024. But, when healthy, he has proven to be a starting-caliber player.

Over his first three seasons in the league, Samuel gave up completion rates of 62.1%, 55.2% and 60.4%, respectively. Samuel's passer ratings when targeted over those three campaigns were 96.8, 85.3 and 87.4.

Adding Samuel would give the Cowboys an insurance policy for Diggs, and an outstanding depth option if Diggs is healthy. He could also be a replacement for DaRon Bland if Bland doesn't return in 2026, when he'll be a free agent.

Spotrac projects Samuel will garner a four-year, $45.8 million deal in free agency, but the chances of him landing that kind of contract this late in free agency are slim, at best.

Instead, we could see Samuel signing a cheap, one-year "prove-it" deal in order to set himself up for a better contract in 2026. If so, Samuel may prove to be quite the steal for Dallas.

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