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6h ago

Asante Samuel Jr. Cleared to Return, Sets Visits With Panthers, Vikings and Packers

The former Chargers cornerback is pursuing a starting opportunity on a short-term deal to re-establish his market.

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Asante Samuel Jr. #26 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second quarter of the game in the AFC Wild Card playoff game at TIAA Bank Field on January 14, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images)
Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. is scheduled to visit with the Vikings, Packers and Panthers this week after he was cleared to return to football activities following a spinal operation.
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Overview

  • Samuel received formal medical clearance for NFL activities after April spinal fusion surgery, with Drs. David Okonkwo and Nicholas Theodore reviewing recent scans and a letter presented to teams by his agent.
  • Carolina is set to host the first visit, with meetings also planned with Minnesota and Green Bay as teams explore post–trade deadline secondary help.
  • His camp deferred visits until after the deadline to target a roster with an immediate starting path and a chance to rebuild value for 2026 free agency.
  • Samuel, 26, was limited to four games in 2024 by stinger-like issues linked to a congenital condition before undergoing the fusion procedure.
  • Across 50 career games (47 starts) with the Chargers, he has 176 tackles and six interceptions, and multiple CB-needy contenders are monitoring his readiness for a likely one-year deal.