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UFL teams continue to add intriguing names to their 75-player rosters heading into training camp next month. The latest acquisition for the D.C. Defenders is former New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Deandre Baker.
The 2019 first-round selection and consensus All-American out of Georgia has seen his NFL career stall due to off-field and injury issues since turning pro. He was last in the NFL with the Chiefs in 2022.
As a senior at Georgia, the 5-11, 193-pound cornerback won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in the country. Over his entire four-year tenure with the Bulldogs, Baker only allowed one touchdown.
Baker's NFL career has not gone as many envisioned. He has played three seasons in the National Football League and started in 17 games, 15 of which came in a promising rookie campaign for the Giants in which he recorded 61 tackles and eight pass breakups.
However, Baker's first year in the NFL with the Giants took a negative turn when he was arrested under charges of aggravated assault and armed robbery. As a result of the arrest, Baker was placed on the commissioner's exempt list and was eventually released by New York.
The charges against Baker were ultimately dropped due to findings that he was being extorted by his accusers' lawyer, along with the alleged victims recanting their sworn statements.
Baker's exoneration, though, wouldn't lead to redemption. Only more misfortune followed after he was reinstated by the NFL.
The Chiefs signed Baker to their practice squad. Just as he was starting to make his presence known, Baker broke his femur on a non-contact play against the Chargers in 2021, becoming only the second NFL player to suffer that gruesome injury during a game.
Baker was able to recover but didn't regain his previous form. Eventually, the Chiefs released him during the summer of 2022.
The United Football League and the Defenders are giving Baker another shot at redemption.
The DC Defenders Secondary now consists of 5 Former NFL Draft Picks
— UFL Analyst (@uflanalyst) January 26, 2024
Gareon Conley
Deandre Baker
D.J. Swearinger
Montae Nicholson
Isaiah Johnson pic.twitter.com/DLcY5Th1PG
From a pro football resume standpoint, the Defenders have arguably the most accomplished secondary in the UFL. With the addition of Baker, D.C. now has five former NFL draft picks.
Joining Baker are fellow former NFL first-round draft pick Gareon Conley (2017), Isaiah Johnson (4th round, 2019), and safeties Montae Nicholson (4th round, 2017) and D.J. Swearinger (2nd round, 2013).
Defenders director of player personnel Von Hutchins is hard at work putting the finishing touches on Gregg Williams' defense before camp arrives on Feb. 24.
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Bears make big decision amid concerning Caleb Williams reports
Second-year Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and other starters were spectators for Chicago's preseason opener versus the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson confirmed things will be different when his club hosts the Buffalo Bills for an exhibition matchup this coming Sunday evening. "Everyone's going to play," Johnson said, as shared by Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Johnson added that how many snaps Williams will take versus the Bills is "to be determined." The Bears will first host the Bills for a joint practice on Friday. Johnson came to this decision following multiple reports detailing the supposed struggles that Williams has endured throughout training camp. Most recently, Monday’s practice was allegedly "a low point for" Chicago's first-team offense and featured "Williams and receiver Rome Odunze both looking frustrated" after some failed connections. "I've been pretty consistent with the thought of reps, reps, reps are the most important thing to get [Williams] up to speed," Johnson explained. "And by the plan that we had a week ago, we were able to get him probably somewhere between 80 and 100 more reps than we would've been able to do had he played in the game. This week, it's a different schedule. Different length of time in terms of in between games and all that. And so, our plan right now is the guys that sat out last week, they will be playing this week." Those running the Bears hope that the hiring of Johnson, an advertised offensive guru, will help Williams become a top-tier quarterback after the 23-year-old won only five of 17 starts during his rookie season. However, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic is among those who have mentioned that Williams has been responsible for a noteworthy number of inaccurate passes this summer. "I think the trust that we've been talking about from the get-go, that's really where that comes into play," Johnson added about risking the health of his starters by playing them against Buffalo. "We haven't been here with this group as a coaching staff. That trust has been earning, and we've been developing that amongst each other. It's not a one-way street. It goes both ways. And so I think that's just another step in the progression, you know?" The Bears will wrap up the preseason with a game at the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 22. It's unclear if Williams or other Chicago starters will see any action that Friday night.
Commanders have major hang-up preventing them from paying Terry McLaurin what he's due
It’s been two weeks since Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin publicly revealed his trade request, and a resolution doesn’t appear to be in sight. Thanks to ESPN’s John Keim, we’re starting to get more insight into how the Commanders are approaching negotiations…and how they run counter to their star wide receiver’s financial desires. As we’ve assumed all along, the Commanders are wary of giving McLaurin a lucrative contract that would extend well into the player’s 30s. As Keim notes, the Commanders “rely heavily on analytics,” and those numbers aren’t particularly kind to receivers on the wrong side of 30. They may be onto something. Per ESPN Research, over the past five years, only three receivers 31 years or older have played at least 10 games and averaged 70-plus receiving yards per game (that number jumps to six players if you adjust for 60-plus receiving yards). Further, the team can simply point to the NFL landscape, as other teams are also clearly wary of paying aging wideouts. Among the 24 active wide receivers who are attached to the most guaranteed money, only Tyreek Hill was older than 30 when the deal was signed. McLaurin has continually pointed to his lack of mileage despite his age; he barely played during his first two years at Ohio State, meaning he may not have the same wear and tear as similar players his age. McLaurin is also naturally pointing to the stat sheet, as the receiver has continually produced despite uncertain QB play, uncertain ownership and a handful of different coaching staffs. Per Keim, the Commanders don’t want to pay McLaurin based on his past performance, with the front office preferring to shape any future contracts based on his projections for age-31-plus seasons. The organization also doesn’t want to set a new precedent by paying McLaurin, as it could convince future veterans to push for lucrative deals in their 30s. While McLaurin has taken the drastic measure of requesting a trade out of Washington, the organization is still convinced they have leverage in this showdown. After all, the player is still under contract for the 2025 campaign, meaning McLaurin will have to forfeit game checks if he sits out games. The team could even choose to slap him with the franchise tag next offseason (which could come in north of $30M), meaning they’re in full control of the player’s fate moving forward. The team is also skeptical that another suitor is going to willingly pay McLaurin the type of money he’s seeking. Per Keim, there are doubts around the league about whether another team would be willing to meet the receiver’s demands. Even if a clear suitor does emerge, Keim makes it clear that Washington’s front office won’t give the star away without receiving a haul. We heard recently that McLaurin wasn’t necessarily seeking a deal that matched fellow 2019 draftee D.K. Metcalf‘s deal with the Steelers. However, Keim says Metcalf’s contract has generally served as a guide for McLaurin, but it’s uncertain whether the Commanders wideout is looking to match the AAV ($33M) or total guarantees ($60M). Ultimately, one source believes the Commanders may agree to pay McLaurin a contract that will pay $28M per year. Of course, it’s uncertain if the player would even accept that offer. If that hypothetical maximum offer doesn’t end in a signing, a divorce may be the logical next step.
The 'Super Bowl winning coaches since 2000' quiz
Happy 64th birthday to former Houston Texans and Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak! Kubiak was the second head coach in Texans history, going 61-64 in eight seasons before joining the Denver Broncos for the 2015 season. He took over a team with Peyton Manning, Demariyus Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders on offense and DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller on defense. The result was a victory over Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, which was the last playoff appearance for Denver until 2024-25. Which brings us to today’s quiz. Kubiak is one 18 different head coaches to lift the Lombardi Trophy since Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000. How many of those coaches can you name in five minutes? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
Mets manager gives blunt response to blowing six-run lead
The New York Mets appeared to be on their way to earning a much-needed win by the third inning of Wednesday night's game when they enjoyed a 6-0 lead on the Atlanta Braves. Following a disastrous fourth inning in which the Mets surrendered nine runs, the offense completely collapsed, and New York lost its 12th game in 14 tries in an 11-6 loss in front of 38,647 fans at Citi Field. Following the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that he didn't think Wednesday night's loss was the worst of the season, but said it "sucks" to blow a lead like they had early in the game. "We’ve had some tough ones, but I wouldn’t say worst loss of the season," Mendoza said, via the Mets. "They all count the same, but it sucks to lose a game when you’re up six right away." The Mets scored three runs in each of the first two innings. Starting pitcher David Peterson allowed six earned runs in the fourth inning before he was pulled for right-handed reliever Reed Garrett. Garrett allowed three earned runs before getting out of the disastrous inning. Mendoza then put in Paul Blackburn to complete the game, not even batting an eye when the right-handed reliever surrendered two more runs in the sixth inning. By that point, Mendoza said he was concerned with saving the bullpen for another day. The admission from Mendoza was odd, as he seemed to punt on the Mets' chances for a comeback with three more chances at the plate. He doesn't trust his offense, and he especially doesn't believe in his rotation. Mendoza said the coaching staff will try to figure out how to get more out of the talent that had the Mets playing quality baseball in the first half of the season. "They’re tough losses, but we gotta keep going," Mendoza said. "We have got coaches right now looking at pretty much everything--trying to figure out how we can continue to help these guys, especially the guys from the rotation because we know the talent is there. But we just haven’t been able to get much from them, especially the last time through." Forget the NL East, where they trail the Philadelphia Phillies by five games; the Mets are barely trying to hold onto a wild-card spot. They have a one-game lead on the Cincinnati Reds.
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