NFL’s Top Free Agent to Meet with the Vikings
It may happen after all. Following eight months of tongue-in-cheek rumors, the Minnesota Vikings will audition cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. this week, as the recently healed defender is ready for his next NFL adventure.
What was a very, very long-living rumor has taken a next step to reality, as the Vikings will meet with the top free-agent CB on the market.
Samuel Jr. entered the Vikings’ rumor mill in March, as the team needed a cornerback for depth purposes — and still needs one in the middle of the regular season.
Asante Samuel Jr. to Audition for Vikings
Could it finally come true?
The Tryout Part Seems Official for Samuel Jr., the Vikings
All those offseason and summer rumors might just come true.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote Wednesday, “Free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who underwent spinal fusion surgery in April, has been cleared for football activities and plans to make free agency visits as soon as this week. Samuel is in touch with several teams, some of which are in the market for a cornerback before the NFL trade deadline Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
“Samuel Jr. has a packed free agency visit schedule, per source: Panthers today, Packers on Thursday, Vikings on Friday, 49ers on Monday, Bears on Tuesday, Steelers on Wednesday.”
Of course, Minnesota’s interest in Samuel Jr. isn’t exclusive, so the team will have to wow him in person.
Fowler added, “In March, Samuel was the No. 14 overall free agent in ESPN’s pre-free agency rankings. Some team executives considered him the best corner in the class. But he went on injured reserve in 2024 and was limited to four games. At the end of that season, Samuel described the injury as a stinger in both shoulders but also a condition he has been dealing with since he was born. It became clear in the spring he needed the procedure.”
Cleared to Play, Alas
The Los Angeles Chargers, who drafted Samuel Jr. four years ago in Round 2, didn’t re-sign him during the offseason, making the 26-year-old one of the league’s top free-agent corners. And then that status just sort of lingered for several weeks until Samuel Jr.’s medical situation became public.
He needed surgery to repair his spine, and no team would offer him a contract until he received medical clearance.
That time is now, and suddenly, the son of former NFLer Asante Samuel Sr. has a boatload of teams chasing him.
The Vikings’ Would-Be CB Room with Samuel Jr.
Minnesota needs cornerback help. Plain and simple. Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers headline the CB room, but after the duo, it’s slim pickings. If an injury kept Murphy Jr. or Rodgers from the lineup, the team may be in dire straits.
Here’s what a Vikings cornerback unit would like if Samuel Jr. picked Minnesota:
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Isaiah Rodgers
- Asante Samuel Jr.
- Jeff Okudah
- Dwight McGlothern
- Fabian Moreau (Practice Squad)
- Zemaiah Vaughn (Practice Squad)
- Tyrek Funderburk (Practice Squad)
Otherwise, if Samuel Jr. picks a different team, the Vikings would be left with players like Stephon Gilmore, Beanie Bishop Jr., and Cameron Sutton from free agency if they needed one more emergency cornerback.
Can Minnesota Stave off Other Suitors?
Winning the Samuel Jr. sweepstakes won’t be easy. Every team hosting him for an audition this week has a winning record — except the Vikings. The Packers, 49ers, and Steelers may convince the veteran defender that they have Super Bowl aspirations, while Minnesota is just hoping to slide back into playoff contention.
The Vikings do, though, have a slight connection. Brian Flores came up in the NFL with the New England Patriots as a scout and later a coach, and he crossed paths with Samuel Jr.’s father there, where he spent five seasons.
Perhaps Minnesota’s brass can lean on the Flores-Patriots connection for this one, assuming Flores and Samuel Sr. still know each other.
SI.con on Samuel Jr. + Vikings
Jonathan Harrison of Sports Illustrated weighed in on Samuel Jr.’s trip to Minnesota: “Minnesota sat still at Tuesday’s trade deadline, deciding to move forward with the current roster after an important 27-24 win over the Lions on Sunday boosted them to 4-4 on the season. With the .500 record, Minnesota is just a game-and-a-half back behind the Packers for the top spot in the NFC North.”
“Cornerback remains an area of need for the Vikings, one that Samuel, despite only recently being cleared following spinal fusion surgery, could help fill. The Vikings have just three interceptions this season, tied for third-fewest in the league. Their 51.0 team coverage grade ranks as the ninth-worst in the NFL, according to PFF.”
Minnesota could also hope to keep Samuel Jr. around for the long haul. When the offseason hits in a few months — guess what? The Vikings will need a cornerback or two.
Harrison added, “However, Minnesota ranks fifth in the league in passing yards allowed. If the Vikings are going to compete for a playoff spot, they’ll need more depth at cornerback. While Samuel comes with injury concerns, he is only 26 and has shown flashes of being a star.”
“The Vikings have taken swings on injured free agents in the recent past. Look no further than Okudah and defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave from this past free agency. Despite the injury concerns, a mid-season swing on Samuel doesn’t necessarily pose that big of a risk for a Vikings team looking to be competitive down the stretch.”
Circle Friday as the big day for Samuel Jr.’s chat in Minnesota. It’s finally happening after months of rumors.
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