The Chiefs have another member of their secondary officially in the fold. Cornerback Deandre Baker has signed his exclusive rights free agent tender, per ESPN’s Field Yates.
The 24-year-old was originally a first round pick of the Giants in 2019. He started 15 of 16 games, but struggled in coverage, totalling 61 tackles and eight pass breakups. Expectations were high for a step forward the following year, but the end of his rookie season was his last action in New York.
Baker faced armed robbery charges for an incident in May 2020, which were later dropped. By that time, though, the Giants had cut ties with him, so the Georgia product was free to join any team as a free agent. He quickly did so, signing onto the Chiefs’ practice squad. He has been in Kansas City ever since.
Baker made just two appearances during the remainder of that 2020 campaign, but he did enough to earn a spot on the roster for this past season. He took on a larger workload than his first year with the Chiefs, but still started just one of the eight games he played in. By signing his tender, he is now in line to continue operating in a rotational capacity.
The Chiefs drafted Trent McDuffie in the first round of this year’s draft, adding a starting-caliber piece to their CB room. He will pair with L’Jarius Sneed at the top of the depth chart, along with Rashad Fenton as another key contributor. Baker will be in competition for a spot at the backend of the roster as he looks to further extend his second act in the NFL.
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