An already thin Minnesota Vikings cornerback room became more translucent on the eve of the NFL's 53-man roster deadline. The team traded its 2023 third-round pick, Mekhi Blackmon, to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2026 sixth-rounder. He was set to start alongside Pro Bowler Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers, which was a concerning development in and of itself.
The league-wide trim-down should present the Vikings with options to not only replace Blackmon but possibly upgrade. However, there's one name Minnesota has been connected to since March that remains available and makes for an intriguing low-risk, high-reward flier: Asante Samuel Jr.
Alarming medical concerns have paused Samuel's free agency for months. Nonetheless, the 2021 second-round pick hopes to "sign with a team for the second half of the year," per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN's latest intel. With that in mind, why shouldn't the Vikings sign him?
Free-agent CB Asante Samuel Jr. is an ideal post-Mekhi Blackmon trade Vikings target
In addition, Fowler shared that Samuel is scheduled to undergo a CT scan in October. The goal is to "ensure [a] successful spinal fusion." "Several" clubs have reportedly kept in touch, and interest should only increase with this update, assuming no setbacks in his recovery. It's unclear if Minnesota is among the prospective suitors, though their previous interest is noteworthy.
Skill isn't the question with Samuel; health is. He was effective when (mostly) available for the Los Angeles Chargers, racking up 35 pass deflections and six interceptions across his first three seasons. 2024 was an outlier marred by shoulder/neck issues that even caught them off guard.
Samuel's landing on injured reserve last October "came as a significant surprise," according to Fowler's colleague, Kris Rhim. He didn't return after going down and took his talents to the open market before undergoing surgery in April.
Now, roughly a handful of months removed from the procedure, the son of two-time Super Bowl champion Asante Samuel can be a difference-maker for Minnesota.
Minnesota has nearly 1,500 vacated corner snaps from the previous campaign following the departures of veterans Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin. Blackmon figured to soak up plenty of reps, but that's (obviously) no longer an option. What do the Vikings have to lose?
Between his strong draft pedigree and bloodline and proven production when on the field, Samuel should appeal to the Vikings. Moreover, he doesn't turn 26 until October, giving them a young potential reclamation project with considerable upside.