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Saints Linked To Chargers Vet In 'Potential Splash' Signing

He has ties to Brandon Staley...

Colin Keane

Aug 12, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers helmets on the bench at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Aug 12, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers helmets on the bench at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The New Orleans Saints have the chance to make another impactful move in the coming days.

It’s one that would strengthen the Saints’ defense, as noted by LouisianaSports.Net’s Ross Jackson.

“The New Orleans Saints … (have the) chance to make a potential splash on the open market,” Jackson wrote.

“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 … procedure earlier in the offseason to help him manage the stinger issue he’d been battling for some time. … The process looks to be going well so far as Samuel has been sharing some of his workout videos on social media.”

“Now that the July 4 weekend approaches, things could move quickly for Samuel,” Jackson continued. 

“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.”

“A one-year deal would make a lot of sense. It would provide New Orleans (with) an experienced piece in its secondary while also providing Samuel the chance to hit the market again in 2026 to seek a larger deal.”

Samuel’s link to Staley could give the Saints an edge in the sweepstakes for the 25-year-old cornerback out of Florida State. From their time together with the Charges, Samuel is familiar with Staley’s “star” role, which equates to a versatile slot cornerback.

Samuel would have a clear opportunity in New Orleans to back up Alontae Taylor in that role.

You have to think the Saints are monitoring Samuel’s medical clearances and mulling a move. 

In four NFL seasons, Samuel has tallied 176 tackles, 37 pass deflections, and six interceptions.

He’s played for the Chargers his entire career — could the Saints be next?

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Colin Keane
COLIN KEANE

Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for the On SI network. Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For all business/marketing inquiries, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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