One 'Potential Splash' Still On Table For Saints

What's next for New Orleans?

Oct 15, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; View of a Crucial Catch logo on the helmet of New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints have enough cap space to make another impactful move before training camp gets here.

New Orleans will kick off training camp on July 23rd. The Saints currently have just over $23 million in cap space before signing Tyler Shough to a deal, per Over The Cap. That's enough space to at least shell out a couple million dollars and see if the Saints can strike gold somewhere.

One name that keeps popping up is former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. He visited the team earlier in the offseason, but didn't sign a deal. At the time, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler shared that he is scheduled for another check-up in early-July to follow up after neck surgery and that he could sign with a team after that.

"Asante Samuel Jr., one of the top free agent corners in this year’s class, is waiting to sign with a new team after undergoing neck surgery in April, per sources," Fowler said. "Samuel, who visited the Saints today, has a check-up in early July, after which he will reconvene with several interested teams. Samuel plans to return to the field for the 2025 season."

Since then, Samuel has been a popular speculative target for New Orleans. LouisianaSports.net's Ross Jackson recently talked about the possibility once again, but noted that other teams will be interested as well, and mentioned the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.

"The New Orleans Saints’ offseason is nearing its next phase as training camp approaches in late-July. But before then, the team has a chance to make a potential splash on the open market," Jackson said. "The Saints hosted veteran cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. in May. The takeaway from Samuel’s series of visits with teams was that he had undergone a next procedure earlier in the offseason to help him manage the stinger issue he’d been battling for some time...

"He has a chance to reunite with Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley in New Orleans, who drafted the cornerback in 2021 during his head coaching tenure with the Los Angeles Chargers. However, other teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and more could also be in on the action."

Samuel is the guy New Orleans should target. The Saints have a hole at corner and Samuel is someone who likely would be cheap as he looks to rebuild his value. He's also young. Why not go for him?

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