Sunday marked the end of the short-lived Jack Jones era for the Las Vegas Raiders. After failing to find a trade partner, Sin City’s new regime of Pete Carroll and John Spytek elected to part ways with the 27-year-old cornerback.
And now, the search for a cornerback is on.
With the 2025 NFL Draft just over two weeks out, it’s most reasonable to think the Raiders will use a draft pick or two to add to their cornerback room. However, some of Raider Nation believes an established starting-caliber cornerback is still out there in free agency; one who could replace Jack Jones with ease.
Namely, Asante Samuel Jr.
And while Samuel Jr. certainly is that, those who are hoping the son of legendary cornerback Asante Samuel Sr. lands in Las Vegas won’t like hearing the latest surrounding the former Chargers corner.
Hoping Raiders land Asante Samuel Jr. to replace Jack Jones? Bad news ahead
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo spoke to NFL personnel around the league with the hopes to get an idea of why the 25-year-old cornerback who’s played well up to this point in his career remains unsigned. Perhaps Samuel Jr. is seeking an unreasonable amount of money, or perhaps the Florida State alum is waiting post-draft to see which clubs look the best heading into the 2025 season.
As it turns out, it’s an injury concern that’s prevented teams from committing to the four-year pro.
“It’s a medical thing,” Garafolo explained on Thursday. “I’ve heard that from teams. If not, he’d be signed because he’s young and has enough ability. It’s a shoulder/neck issue. Certainly, there’s an indication of red flags for teams.”
Samuel Jr. hit the injured reserves list ahead of the Chargers’ Week 5 contest due to a shoulder injury. Although he appeared in only four games this past season, the former second-rounder took the field for all 17 in 2023. Here, Samuel Jr. intercepted two passes while breaking up an additional 10. His 75.6 coverage grade via Pro Football Focus was the highest among all cornerbacks on his team.
While the injury concerns may be disappointing to those who hoped the Raiders would sign Samuel Jr., the good news is the 2025 NFL Draft is loaded with talent at this position. Although it seems unlikely Las Vegas uses their first-rounder on a corner, Jahdae Barron is a picture-perfect Pete Carroll cornerback. Will Johnson has plenty of talent, too.
Using their second-round selection on a cornerback makes the most sense, however. That’s where the bulk of the talent is. East Carolina’s Shavon Revel and Ole Miss’ Trey Amos are two names to keep an eye on in that regard.
*Top Photo: Robert Gauthier/L.A. Times
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