During his introductory press conference, new head coach Liam Coen talked about the talent the Jacksonville Jaguars currently have. On the other hand, he also acknowledges that the roster also has a few needs. One of the biggest ones is at cornerback. While the Jags have Tyson Campbell in the fold, they need another starter who can line up on the opposite side of the field. Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports came up with an intriguing suggestion.
Dajani talked about one player each NFL team must prioritize in free agency. For Jacksonville, he picked cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., noting that he's been a playmaker for the Los Angeles Chargers and will be in demand despite the fact that he's coming off a shoulder injury.
"It wasn't long ago when Asante Samuel Jr. picked off Trevor Lawrence three times in the first half of that memorable playoff game. Imagine him joining the Jags this offseason. Jacksonville certainly needs to upgrade the secondary, and Samuel could be an option. He recorded at least 11 passes defensed in his first three NFL seasons, and two interceptions in each of those first three years as well. A shoulder injury held him to just four games played in 2024, but he's set to cash in. "
A second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Samuel has appeared in 50 games with 47 starts for the Bolts. He registered 34 passes defensed in his first three seasons and six total interceptions. As Dajani said, though, the former Florida State Seminole had his 2024 season cut short by a shoulder injury. Fortunately for him, that won't stop him from chasing in free agency.
Samuel has made it clear that he wants to return to Los Angeles, but he's not a fit in defensive coordinator Jesse Minter's scheme. Add the fact that corners Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still stepped up in his absence, and the Chargers may not prioritize bringing him back in 2025.
According to Spotrac, Samuel will command an annual average of $11.5 million in free agency. While that's no spare change by any means, that could be considerably cheaper than the amount other cornerbacks are expected to get.
Asante Samuel Jr. is one option the Jaguars must consider in free agency
The Jaguars don't have any appealing in-house options on the spot, opposite Tyson Campbell, so they'll need to dip their toes in free agency or the draft to check off that box. If they take the former route, either Will Johnson or Travis Hunter will be their best options at No. 5. Then again, they'll also have other intriguing choices in the second round.
On the other hand, free agency will also offer ample options. D.J. Reed and Byron Murphy II may be the best of the bunch, but they'll be far from the only alternatives. Paulson Adebo, Adoree' Jackson, and Carlton Davis will be among the top corners in the open market.
It would come down to how much the Jaguars want to spend. If they don't want to break the bank, Asante Samuel Jr. might be a better option than either Reed, Murphy, or Davis. All three are projected to command top market money, and they're probably worth it. That said, Jacksonville needs to avoid overpaying for free agents, something that became a common occurrence during the Trent Baalke era.
The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars can take several roads to bolster their cornerback room in the offseason, and signing Asante Samuel Jr. certainly deserves consideration.