When Asante Samuel was medically cleared to sign with a team after undergoing spinal fusion surgery this offseason, he didn't join the Pittsburgh Steelers to spend the rest of his season on the practice squad. Mike Tomlin has a plan for the second-generation NFL cornerback...and it's going to be a significant role.
When Samuel inked a deal with Pittsburgh, many fans speculated as to what his role might be. Would Jalen Ramsey stick at safety or move back to nickel cornerback? Would Darius Slay keep his job as a boundary cornerback?
Now, we finally have some answers.
Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin spoke to the media on Wednesday when he noted that he has Samuel working exclusively as an outside cornerback, per PennLive's Nick Farabaugh. Right now, the wheels might be spinning in your head. Whose job is Samuel going to eventually take? The answer now seems crystal clear.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to demote CB Darius Slay when Asante Samuel gets up to speed
Every team needs four to six good cornerbacks. Unfortunately, quality CBs are always in short supply. But we also know that every team only has two starting boundary cornerbacks. For the Steelers this year, those players are Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay.
While Porter has been inconsistent in his third NFL season, Slay has been downright awful in most games he's played in 2025. According to Pro Football Focus, Slay has allowed 28 receptions for 396 yards and two touchdowns this year for a passer rating of 126.7 to opposing quarterbacks. At 34 years old, Slay is the oldest cornerback in the NFL this season... and it shows.
Because the Steelers handed Slay a fully guaranteed one-year, $10 million contract, Pittsburgh is unlikely to send him packing. However, a demotion isn't out of the question.
READ MORE: By now, it's clear Steelers must demote this underwhelming starter
Enter Samuel Jr.—a young, promising cornerback who just celebrated his 26th birthday in October. Samuel must prove that he can get up to speed quickly after his spinal fusion surgery in April. If he proves that he's ready to play, we already know where he'll fit in.
Considering Austin has Samuel working exclusively as a boundary cornerback, it won't be Joey Porter Jr. who sees the bench; it's going to be Darius Slay. Perhaps the Steelers may experiment with kicking Slay or Porter to slot cornerback on occasion to get all three CBs on the field at the same time, but Slay is almost guaranteed to see a reduced role soon.
Samuel's 5'10'', 180-pound frame suggests he would be best served as a nickel cornerback, but the former second-round pick has played almost solely boundary CB since entering the NFL... and that's where Austin intends to keep him. It will be Darius Slay who has the most to lose from this Steelers acquisition.