The Baltimore Ravens have been very active ahead of the trade deadline. They have completely rebuilt their defense with the acquisitions of safety Alohi Gilman and pass rusher Dre’Mont Jones, and trades of outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and cornerback Jaire Alexander.
These moves have completely shifted the outlook of the defense in 2025, helping transform a historically bad unit to start the year into one of the better groups in the past three games. They have allowed just 39 points during that stretch, most notably holding the Miami Dolphins to six points in their Week 9 Thursday Night Football win.
Still, there are plenty more moves that General Manager Eric DeCosta will have to make to build the Ravens back into a contender. They are winners of two straight and have a favorable schedule ahead, but improvements need to be made.
One of those improvements could come via the free agent market rather than the trade market. After dealing Alexander to the Philadelphia Eagles, the team lacks depth at corner. While Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s three-safety looks of Malaki Starks, Kyle Hamilton, and Gilman have taken some pressure off the cornerback room, they will need to find Alexander's replacement, especially if the injury bug strikes again.
That replacement could be free agent corner Asante Samuel Jr.
Ravens could look to sign Asante Samuel Jr. after he was cleared to play
Samuel is still a young cornerback with loads of potential. The 2021 second-round pick was left unsigned the entire offseason after medical concerns of a spine injury he had dealt with throughout the 2024 season. Now, he has been cleared to play, and teams will likely be lining up to see what the 26-year-old still has to offer.
Baltimore could be one of those teams doing their due diligence. While he was cleared to play, spinal injuries will be handled with extra precaution, and some teams may understandably pass based on the nature of his injury. However, if Samuel passes medical exams, he would be a perfect fit in Orr’s defense.
Samuel is mainly an outside corner, the exact role Baltimore would look to have from any new cornerback they opt to bring in. He was posting well above average grades, per Pro Football Focus, before his injury-riddled 2024 campaign. He registered a 72.6 grade in 2022 and a 73.9 grade in 2023.
Sure-handed veterans like Stephon Gilmore could make more sense given their healthier track record, but Samuel could be a player who could benefit the team both now and in the future. He is still very young and has a ton of untapped potential that he could reach with the Ravens.