Former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. has been cleared to return to the field after undergoing a spinal fusion procedure in the offseason. The veteran defensive back is meeting with several NFL teams and will visit the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
It'll be a busy couple weeks for Asante Samuel Jr. He's visiting the #Panthers today. After that, it's: #Packers (Thursday), #Vikings (Friday), #49ers (Monday), #Bears (Tuesday) and #Steelers (Wednesday). A thorough, methodical process. https://t.co/RZCbaBKHUd
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 5, 2025
The Chargers selected Samuel in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Florida State. He appeared in just four games last season before landing on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.
In his last full season (2023), Samuel posted career highs with 63 tackles (one for loss), two interceptions, and 13 passes defended over 17 games, per Pro Football Reference. That year, he also earned a career-best 73.9 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF).
It's worth noting that Samuel has displayed tackling inconsistency over his career. He has earned a PFF tackling grade of 42.7 or lower in three of his four NFL seasons, including a career-low 29.5 grade in 2024 after missing a career-high 14 tackles the previous year.
Across four NFL seasons, Samuel has recorded 176 tackles (three for loss), six interceptions, 37 passes defended, and one fumble recovery through 50 career games (47 starts).