Saints Linked To Ex-Chargers Star After Big Loss

Will the Saints bring another star to town this offseason?

Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Large helmets of the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos of the AFC West before an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints lost a big piece of the team’s defense shortly after free agency opened up.

New Orleans unfortunately lost 25-year-old cornerback Paulson Adebo as he signed a three-year deal with the New York Giants. The Saints still could use another corner this offseason and because of this Pro Football Focus’ Zoltán Buday linked New Orleans to former Los Angeles Chargers corner Asante Samuel Jr.

"CB Asante Samuel Jr.: New Orleans Saints," Buday said. "Free agency came at the wrong time for Samuel, whose 2024 season was cut short due to an injury after a career-low 234 snaps. Even when he was on the field, he could not replicate his success in his previous two seasons. His 80.8 PFF coverage grade from 2022 to 2023 ranked 12th among 67 qualifying cornerbacks, but he earned only a 58.6 PFF coverage grade in 2024, which would have ranked 85th if he had played enough snaps.

"The Saints lost Paulson Adebo in free agency, and Samuel relocating to the Big Easy would reunite him with Brandon Staley, making this a solid fit."

He was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft and is just 25 years old. He has all of the upside you could hope for out of a young corner, but he only was able to appear in four games in 2024. When he was healthy in 2023, he held opposing quarterbacks to a 60.4 completion percentage, 87.4 quarterback rating, and allowed just three touchdowns on 96 targets while also logging two interceptions.

That's pretty solid for a then-24-year-old. The Saints have a need and it could make sense to roll the dice on Samuel.

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