The New England Patriots have added some depth and potential to their corps of receivers for the upcoming season on Tuesday by signing Kawaan Baker to a futures contract.
Baker, 25, originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick (No. 255 overall) by the New Orleans Saints in the 2021 NFL Draft out of South Alabama.
The 6-1, 210-pound wideout began his rookie season on the practice squad. Baker was elevated to the active roster for two games as a rookie and saw action on special teams in a late December matchup with the Miami Dolphins — an game in which he registered one special teams tackle — and a January 2002 contest against the Carolina Panthers.
Though he remained with New Orleans after spending the entirety of training camp with the club, he was released by the Saints in October due to a suspension for violating the NFL’s PED policy. He then spent time on the practice squad of Green Bay before returning to New Orleans when he was signed to the practice squad in December. Baker went to training camp with the Saints last summer but was released prior to the start of the regular season.
With his signing confirmed by the team on Tuesday evening, Baker now becomes the second receiver signed to futures deals — the other being T.J. Luther, who was a member of New England’s practice squad for part of 2023.
In addition to Baker and Luther, the Patriots have also signed running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, defensive linemen Trysten Hill and William Bradley-King, linebacker Joe Giles-Harris, cornerback Azizi Hearn and offensive linemen Andrew Stueber and Michael Jordan.
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