Chiefs plan to sign former Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker to practice squad
DeAndre Baker’s chaotic year is now bringing him to Kansas City.
The Chiefs plan to sign the former Giants first-round cornerback to their practice squad, a source confirmed to The Star. NFL Network first reported the news Tuesday night.
Baker has been the subject of a bizarre case that commenced in May with four counts of robbery with a firearm but concluded six months later with dropped charges Monday. The Giants selected him out of Georgia in the first round last year, trading up to land him, but released him this summer after the charges.
Baker was accused of taking cash and jewelry at gunpoint during a May party in Florida.
But the lawyer for three of the alleged victims, William Dean, was arrested Monday and charged with extortion in relation to the robbery, and the Broward State Attorney’s Office subsequently dropped the charges against Baker. The New York Daily News reported that Dean was trying to extort Baker out of nearly $800,000.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar had originally been accused of helping Baker, but he was cleared earlier.
The victims previously recanted their statements, saying Baker “did not directly or indirectly participate in any robbery or assist in a robbery at the scene or elsewhere,” according to affidavits collected by ESPN.
“I’ve been saying this from Day 1 — that this was an extortion scheme and that DeAndre was the victim,” Baker’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, told the NFL Network. “This event did not play out as they insinuated. And the case was dismissed.”
Baker, 23, started 15 games as a rookie last season, making 61 tackles. He was projected to start for the Giants again this season before the arrest.
The Chiefs’ secondary is already set to be bolstered by the looming return of rookie L’Jarius Sneed off injured reserve.
The Chiefs hope to add Baker to the active 53-man roster this season, if all goes as planned.