Chargers issue 5-word shutdown of Asante Samuel Jr. reunion talk

The Los Angeles Chargers don’t have much to say on the topic of cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. ahead of the 2025 NFL draft.

No wonder—Samuel is still a free agent after an odd injury saga with the team last season.

Speaking with reporters before the draft, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz kept it super short and sweet when asked about whether Samuel would return to the team: "That's Asante's conversation, not mine."

Succinct, if nothing else.

Samuel, a second-round pick by the Chargers in 2021, went on injured reserve last season in Week 6…after the team’s bye week. Around playoff time, fans caught a cryptic post from the cornerback on social media, and in January, Samuel told reporters that his shoulder injury got worse due to contact and that it’s something that is a lifelong issue.

In other words, it has long felt like Samuel wouldn’t be back with the Chargers. They’ve moved forward with fifth-round breakouts Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart and signed Donte Jackson in free agency. They could add another cornerback as high as the first round next week.

As for Samuel, he could be a post-draft signing by a team that wants to roll the dice on upside, depending on how the draft shakes out. But words and actions seem to hint a reunion is unlikely for Samuel and the Chargers.

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