The Los Angeles Chargers have opened training camp and are making preparations to play in this year's Hall of Fame Game on July 31. But between now and the start of the regular season, the team should strongly consider bringing back two former players.
The sudden retirement of Mike Williams should force the team to do something more at the wide receiver position. While there are plenty of cost-friendly trade options that the team should look into, the most popular option remains to bring back Keenan Allen.
Allen ranks second on the team's all-time list in receptions and receiving yards and after spending last season with the Chicago Bears, is still looking for a place to play in 2025. It seems like a no-brainer for the Chargers to bring him back and quite frankly, that should have been the move before signing Williams this offseason.
But another former Chargers player who hasn't found a new team yet is cornerback Asante Samuel, Jr. The former second-round pick looked like a future All-Pro at one point in L.A., but fell out of favor with the team after playing in just four games due to a shoulder injury last season.
This offseason, there hasn't been a ton of interest in Samuel, but he is familiar with the Chargers' organization and the team is far from set at the cornerback position. After losing Kristian Fulton and deciding not to bring back Samuel this offseason, the team replaced them with Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste in free agency. Those signings signified that the team would be placing more responsibility on second-year players Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still.
While that may not be a terrible plan, it could easily backfire on Jim Harbaugh. The team should strongly consider working out a new deal with Samuel, even if he is going to be used in a smaller role or at the least, have to earn back his old position from a guy like Jackson.
Samuel is still only 25 years old and his experience could still prove valuable for a team that may have a major weak link at the cornerback position as things currently stand.
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