Should their roster remain the way it is right now, the Dolphins will have serviceable cornerback room ahead of the 2025 season. But the reason why they are connected to so many high-profile free agents and trade candidates is the fact that they have actively been finding a new home for Jalen Ramsey, an All-Pro defensive back and Super Bowl champion who joined the team in 2023.
As the Dolphins navigate through the pool of available players, they are looking for someone who is ideally a like-for-like replacement for Ramsey in terms of quality and leadership traits. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox sees free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who most recently played for the Los Angeles Chargers, as an ideal fit for the AFC East squad.
“The Dolphins may or may not be playoff contenders in 2025, but they do need cornerback help with Ramsey on the way out and have already considered Samuel,” Knox wrote. “According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami reached out to Samuel in May. He could be a high-reward, low-risk option for a Dolphins team that has just $14 million in remaining cap space.”
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Knox urges the Dolphins – and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, another team he believes could benefit from Samuel Jr.’s services – to be cautious with him, as he is considered a much riskier option than other players who could be available due to his recent injury history.
“He was limited to only four games last season by a stinger issue that may not go away,” Knox wrote. “According to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, the stinger ailment affected both of Samuel’s shoulders in 2024 and is something the corner was ‘born with.’
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Samuel plans to play in 2025, but he underwent neck surgery in April and is scheduled for a check-up in July, ‘after which he will reconvene with several interested teams.’”
Knox, however, understands that Samuel Jr. can offer a lot on the field and is among the most talented defensive backs in the league when not dealing with injuries.
“Several teams will be interested if Samuel is deemed healthy before training camp. He’s had tackling issues and isn’t the most physical corner. He has tremendous ball skills, though, is only 25 and showed a ton of growth before last year’s injury,” Knox wrote.
“Samuel started 16 games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 and allowed an opposing passer rating of only 87.4 in coverage that season. He logged an impressive 26 pass breakups over his first three seasons.”
Samuel, a former second-round NFL Draft pick who has spent his entire four-year NFL career with the Chargers, is credited with 176 tackles, six interceptions, and 37 passes defended across 50 games in the league.
