The Pittsburgh Steelers are bolstering their defense with the signing of former second-round pick Asante Samuel Jr. to their practice squad, according to multiple media reports Tuesday.
Samuel, 26, was viewed as a coveted cornerback in free agency this offseason, but that was before undergoing spinal-fusion surgery in April. Over four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, he appeared in 50 games and recorded 176 tackles, six interceptions, 37 pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
His father, Asante Samuel Sr., was a two-time Super Bowl champion and a four-time Pro Bowler with 51 interceptions over 11 NFL seasons with the New England Patriots (2003-07), Philadelphia Eagles (2008-11) and Atlanta Falcons (2012-13).
It’s unclear how quickly the younger Samuel could be elevated to Pittsburgh’s active roster, but the Steelers (5-4) are in desperate need of defensive back depth. With Darius Slay in concussion protocol coming out of Sunday’s loss at the Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh entered this week with just three healthy cornerbacks.
The Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) Sunday as their hefty lead atop the AFC North has shrunk to just one game over the trending Baltimore Ravens.
