The Chicago Bears appear to have missed out on corner Asante Samuel Jr. after the defender signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of a scheduled visit with Chicago. ESPN's Courtney Cronin reported the expected visit on the heels of the signing that seemingly pushes the talented defender out of reach. However, it must be noted that the Steelers didn't sign Samuel to the active roster, but to the team's practice squad.
For the Bears, this puts the option on the table to clear an active roster spot and steal the corner off Pittsburgh's roster. Not opting to put the defensive back on the active roster right away opens up the Steelers to the risk of a potentially important piece being stolen off the roster. It made sense to put Samuel on the practice squad to allow him time to get up to speed. Still, there is no denying the risk that could serve as Chicago's opportunity.
Stealing from Pittsburgh has no obvious consequence, with the AFC team rarely matching up with the Bears. It isn't as if the two sides have extensive relationships or would be in each other's postseason path. There isn't a downside to adding the corner if the Bears believe he could have an impact in the 2025 season.
Bears Still Have a Path to Asante Samuel Jr. Despite Pittsburgh Signing
An interesting side note to this would be the opportunity to steal from a team led by Aaron Rodgers, a quarterback who haunted the Bears for years. Losing a defensive piece won't hurt the feelings of Bears fans whatsoever. This is simply a potential positive byproduct of the move and obviously not the sole motivation in considering bringing in Samuel.
The reasons why the Bears need to consider the move are a lack of proven depth in the secondary. Caleb Williams and an increasingly productive offense are often carrying the Bears, with Chicago's secondary regularly struggling or giving up big plays, even against the lesser teams in the league.
With this in mind, bringing in Samuel is an attempt to give a struggling unit a boost and perhaps find a surprise long-term piece. At the very least, it is valued depth, and you can hand Samuel a far simpler playoff path in the NFC than is currently offered in Pittsburgh.
So much is still up in the air in the AFC, while Chicago is in the NFC North race as well as having a firm grip on the wildcard race. All of this adds up to the Bears needing to consider following through with Samuel and signing the defender to the active roster.
It would be a savvy move for the Ben Johnson-led team that is continuing to hang with the Packers and Lions in a crowded division. The Bears need to search for every possible advantage, and the Steelers' decision not to add the corner to the active roster leaves the door cracked open for a move to still be made.