Asante Samuel Jr. will look to make his comeback from the shoulder and neck issues that cut his 2024 season short with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The cornerback has agreed to a practice squad contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Tuesday.

Samuel played four games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024 before he was placed on IR with a shoulder issue.

ESPN’s Kris Rhim later reported Samuel said the shoulder injury was related to “an issue he’s been dealing with since he was born.”

Samuel then underwent spinal fusion surgery in April, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, and has since missed the start of the 2025 season.

He was cleared for football activities as of Nov. 3, according to Fowler.

The cornerback’s new contract is a sign that both he and the Steelers are hopeful he will be able to return to the field this season.

After watching him earn PFF coverage grades of more than 75.0 during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Steelers will hope to see a similar level of coverage from a healthier Samuel.

Samuel, a second-round pick in the 2021 draft, spent his first four NFL seasons with the Chargers. He leaves Los Angeles having recorded 176 tackles and defended 37 passes in 50 career regular-season games.

During his lone playoff appearance in January 2023, Samuel recorded three interceptions in the Chargers’ Wild Card loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The rise of young corners Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, alongside the spring acquisition Donte Jackson, has allowed the Chargers to cover for Samuel’s absence so far this season.

The Steelers are meanwhile in need of secondary depth amid injuries and inconsistent play from Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay. Depending on Samuel’s progress with the practice squad, the team could be hoping to see him on the active roster by the end of the 2025 season.