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Free agent CB Samuel (spine) given OK to play

  • Jeremy FowlerNov 3, 2025, 05:53 PM ET

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      Jeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.

Free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who underwent spinal fusion surgery in April, has been cleared for football activities and plans to make free agency visits as soon as this week.

Samuel is in touch with several teams, some of which are in the market for a cornerback before the NFL trade deadline Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

In March, Samuel was the No. 14 overall free agent in ESPN’s pre-free agency rankings. Some team executives considered him the best corner in the class. But he went on injured reserve in 2024 and was limited to four games. At the end of that season, Samuel described the injury as a stinger in both shoulders but also a condition he has been dealing with since he was born. It became clear in the spring he needed the procedure.

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