Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles had one of the best cornerback rooms in the NFL. Rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean quickly proved they belong in the NFL. While veteran Darius Slay was still productive and provided mentorship.
That said, Slay departed this offseason, leaving the second outside cornerback spot open for the taking. Currently, new veteran addition Adoree' Jackson and third-year corner Kelee Ringo are battling for the spot.
However, Philadelphia has an opportunity to make this competition more intriguing entering training camp. As it stands right now, Asante Samuel Jr. remains one of the biggest free agents available and would certainly improve the Eagles' cornerback room.
Howie Roseman Should Call Asante Samuel Jr. before Training Camp Starts
The Eagles organization would prefer Ringo to solidify himself at corner to begin training camp. A former fourth-round pick in 2023, Ringo is about to turn 23 years old and had a lot of developing to do in his first two seasons.
As a result, most of his playing time in 2023 and 2024 came on special teams. Be that as it may, according to John McMullen of Eagles on SI, Ringo had a strong spring.
Still, adding Samuel Jr. would give the Eagles a more proven option who is still only 25 years old. Over his first four seasons, he has recorded 176 tackles, 37 pass deflections, and six interceptions.
Furthermore, Samuel Jr. had his best season in coverage in 2023, recording a 75.6 grade in pass coverage, according to PFF. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old. has dealt with multiple injuries. Last year, he was placed on injured reserve after four games due to a shoulder injury.
Prior to that, Samuel Jr. had only missed five games in his rookie season due to a concussion. Yet, it was reported in the middle of May that the reason Samuel Jr. is still on the open market is that he had neck surgery in April. Though that's a bit concerning, as long as the injury doesn't linger, his performance shouldn't be affected.
Even if Samuel Jr. decides he doesn't want to sign with the Eagles, general manager Howie Roseman should make the call, so the Eagles defense can remain dominant.