Asante Samuel Jr. gets brutally honest about the Chargers’ return from a lost season

The Los Angeles Chargers lost to the Houston Texans to end the season in the Wild Card round. Despite being the favorite on the road against a struggling Houston team, LA struggled out of the gate. Much attention was paid to the offense and Justin Herbert’s four interceptionsbut the defense also struggled. The Chargers have been without Asante Samuel Jr. for most of the season with a shoulder and shoulder injury. He talked about his desire to return to LA this offseason.

“In my 20 years of playing, I’ve never missed a season like this, more than two or three games or four games, so it was definitely tough not being out there with my brothers,” Samuel Jr. told ESPN’s Chris Rome. “It was hurtful not to be there.”

Samuel is an unrestricted free agent and has expressed his desire to return. “I love the Chargers and it’s a great organization going in the right direction,” he said. “I hope I can come back.”

The Chargers allowed 122 yards to Nick Collins in the playoff loss, so they need a cornerback. Samuel Jr., son of Patriots legend Asante Samuel, was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft. After a disappointing season, he hopes to bounce back.

The Chargers should bring back Asante Samuel Jr

Asante Samuel Jr. isn’t the player his father was in New England, but he’s a solid starting cornerback in the NFL. That should be reason enough to bring him back on a reasonable contract next season. Despite missing so much time this year, he has played in all 17 games over the past two years.

Having a reliable cornerback in a team-controlled secondary is vital for the Chargers. They have a lot of money tied up in their offense and need more weapons for Justin Herbert. Samuel has six career interceptions and has committed one fumble in his career. Although he is not a Pro Bowl or All-Pro player, he is important to their defense.

The Chargers defense could also be undergoing some renovations this offseason. Khalil Mack is an unrestricted free agent and could retireJoey Bosa has one year left on his contract, and Dervin James has two years left. Locking up Samuel in a team deal will keep the punter happy and the defense young and talented.

While the Chargers are out of the playoffs again, they have young players to build around for the future like Asante Samuel Jr.