Just hours before the start of the 2026 free agency legal tampering period kicked off, the Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to retain one of their top free agents before hitting the market and potentially agreeing to a deal with another team.
On Monday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Steelers are retaining cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. on a one-year contract. Steelers insider Gerry Dulac later confirmed that it's a one-year, $4 million deal for Samuel.
Samuel spent the second half of the 2025 season with Pittsburgh after making a full recovery from the spinal fusion surgery he received early in the offseason.
This move couldn't have come at a better time for the Steelers.
As free agency was set to kick off, Pittsburgh had just two proven cornerbacks on their roster (if we're considering Jalen Ramsey as a safety at this stage of his career): Joey Porter Jr. and Brandin Echols.
The Pittsburgh Steelers received much-needed CB insurance with Asante Samuel Jr. signing
Asante Samuel is hardly guaranteed to be the starting boundary cornerback alongside Porter for the 2026 season, but this signing was much-needed. Veteran James Pierre was set to join Saumel in free agency before Samuel inked a one-year deal with Pittsburgh.
Pierre was fantastic last season after taking over for Darius Slay. While Pierre might have been the prize in free agency, recent reports suggest that teams could get into a bidding war for his services.
The Steelers won't stop filling their cornerback need with the Asante Samuel Jr. signing. General manager Omar Khan could look to add another CB in free agency—one who fits what new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is looking for.
If the Steelers stay quiet at cornerback the rest of the way in free agency, CB could prove to be an early draft need for Pittsburgh.
Samuel started three of six games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 while recording one interception and one pass defended. Pro Football Reference credited the former second-round pick with allowing 204 yards and four touchdowns on 14.6 yards per target and a 123.5 passer rating last season (which is less than ideal).
Still, Samuel showed flashes. And considering he's another year removed from a serious surgery, he could earn the chance to revive his once-promising career. At the very least, this should prove to be a quality depth signing with a respectable cornerback ahead of free agency.