Follow the Minnesota Vikings rumor mill somewhat closely, and you will be ultra-familiar with one particular cornerback’s name: Asante Samuel Jr.
There’s one particular Vikings rumor that’s been floating around since March, and alas, the climax of the story should be reached in the coming days or weeks.
The rumor mill emphatically pointed at Samuel Jr. in March and April, but due to his health, nothing ever came to fruition. Fast forward to November, and Samuel Jr. is now there for the taking.
Asante Samuel Jr. + Vikings Connection Should Get a Verdict
The cornerback is now healthy and ready to play — somewhere.
Samuel Jr. Is Back
Samuel Jr. has been given a green light to return to his full-time job.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote Monday, “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.”
“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.”
And just like that, Samuel Jr. is the top cornerback option on the free-agent market, guaranteed to draw interest from CB-needy teams.
Wouldn’t You Know It? The Vikings Need a Cornerback.
Samuel Jr.’s newfound availability, if signed by the Vikings, invokes perfect timing.
The team has turned the corner (pun intended), scoring an upset over the Detroit Lions and evening its record at 4-4. The cornerbacks have been picked on lately, especially by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. Jeff Okudah hasn’t played well, has suffered two concussions in 2025, and is currently out. And when the time has come to insert Dwight McGlothern into the lineup, the coaching staff has instead promoted journeyman corner Fabian Moreau.
There’s no time like the present to sign Samuel Jr. The timing is perfectly aligned.
A Longstanding Rumor
Samuel Jr. to the Vikings entered the purple rumor mill months ago. Many months ago. An anonymous tipster to SKOR North allegedly saw him at a Florida nightclub wearing a Vikings fan, and the rumor spread like wildfire thereafter.
Of course, Samuel Jr. didn’t have a clean bill of health then — or for the next six months. His suspect injury status kept the rumor alive, though, and no one knew whether he was still an option.
The ESPN reporting cleared up any doubt on his availability.
The Upside for Samuel Jr. in Minnesota
Samuel Jr. quietly put together one of his best seasons the last time he was a full-time starter, earning a sharp 73.9 PFF grade in 2023. That’s the version the Vikings would be hoping to unlock.
Here’s how his Pro Football Focus grades have stacked up year by year:
— 2021: 56.4
— 2022: 72.6
— 2023: 73.9
— 2024: 59.3
If Minnesota could land Samuel Jr. and guide him back toward that 2022–2023 form, it would be a low-risk, high-upside play. He’s still young, experienced against elite receivers, and capable of fitting Brian Flores’ man-heavy scheme.
Plus, his next contract will almost certainly come cheap — a classic one-year “prove it” deal that could pay off handsomely for both sides. The prove-it deal should be half-price with the 2025 NFL season half complete.
Samuel Jr. to the Steelers?
Steelers-themed media seems to believe the freshly available cornerback will head to Pittsburgh.
Still Curtain‘s Ryan Powloski wrote this week, “Samuel fits the mold of Mike Tomlin’s football players. The Steelers showed significant pre-draft interest in the young cornerback, who also comes from a strong football lineage.”
“His father, Asante Samuel Sr., played in the NFL for 11 years and won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. Samuel Jr. has produced a strong start to his NFL career before his injury set his career back. It’s unknown how many teams will inquire about the free agent’s services, but any club that needs a cornerback that fails to acquire one before the trade deadline should be interested.”
In theory, Samuel Jr.’s prime should be just beginning.
“He just turned 26 and, with a clean bill of health, should return to form. It might take a while for him to get back to football shape, but he is worth the gamble for any contender out there. The Steelers make sense as a logical destination for Samuel. This team liked Asante Samuel Jr. heading into the draft process, and his family bloodlines will make him a Mike Tomlin favorite,” Pawloski continued.
“They need someone who can play up and down the depth chart, which this free agent can do. Pittsburgh needs insurance at the cornerback position, and signing a free agent like Samuel over paying a heavy price before the trade deadline would be best.”
The Vikings have about $16.5 million in cap space as of November 4th — more than enough to add Samuel Jr.
