The Asante Samuel Jr. chapter in Pittsburgh is moving fast. After spending the first half of the season rehabbing from spinal fusion surgery, the former Chargers cornerback finally found a home earlier this month when he signed onto the Steelers’ practice squad ahead of Week 11, a low-risk move Jeremy Fowler of ESPN framed as a fresh start for a 26-year-old former top-25 free agent who just needed to prove he was healthy again.
Now the Steelers are wasting no time putting that signing to use. As Tom Pelissero reported, Pittsburgh is promoting cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. from the practice squad while sending offensive tackle Broderick Jones to injured reserve. It is a clear signal that the club wants Samuel available immediately for Sunday’s showdown with the Buffalo Bills.
For a secondary about to deal with Josh Allen’s arm and a physical receiver group, adding a veteran cover man, even on short notice, matters. Samuel has playoff experience, ball skills, and the kind of route recognition you only get from years of starting snaps and a lifetime around the position. The practice-squad stint gave the staff a chance to test his health and fit; the elevation says he passed both exams.
Jones' landing on IR is the painful flip side. The young tackle had been part of the long-term plan up front, and losing him this late in the year forces another shuffle on an offensive line that already had little margin for error. Against a Bills front that can ruin drives with a single pressure, protection and the run game both become trickier puzzles to solve.
At least Pittsburgh will have its quarterback back at full speed. Head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that Aaron Rodgers no longer carries an injury designation after his wrist issue, was a full participant in practice, and is “all systems go” for Buffalo. The veteran pushed to play last week, fell just short, and now returns with the Steelers sitting at 6-5 and very much alive in the AFC race.
Put it together, and Sunday becomes a measuring-stick moment: Samuel Jr. stepping straight into real snaps, a reworked line trying to protect Rodgers, and a Steelers team hoping this mix of veteran reinforcements and hard choices is enough to survive the Bills and keep their postseason push on track.
