Report: Bengals One of Many Teams Interested in DeAndre Baker
CINCINNATI — The Bengals have expressed interest in free agent cornerback DeAndre Baker according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
They aren't alone.
The Cowboys, 49ers, Jaguars, Cowboys and Chiefs are also interested in the 23-year-old.
Baker's story is a complicated one.
The Giants drafted him in the first-round (30th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He appeared in 15 games for New York last season.
They released him in September following an offseason filled with legal trouble.
Those issues came to an end on Monday when the Broward State Attorney's Office dropped all changers against Baker.
He was being prosecuted on four counts of robbery with a firearm in May. He faced a minimum of 10 years in prison if convicted.
“I can be a great guy in any locker room they put me in,” Baker told the New York Daily News. “I never had a record in my life. I was never in any trouble in my life and still to this day I haven’t been in any trouble, up until this event. I don’t think I’m a risk to any team. I feel like I’m a benefit to any team right now.”
Baker will have to show NFL teams that an issue like this won't happen again, even though the charges were dropped.
The Bengals could use help at corner. Baker played 971 defensive snaps for the Giants last season. He had 61 tackles, eight passes defensed and gave up six touchdowns.
The Bengals have been active in free agency recently. They signed seven unrestricted free agents during the offseason. They've also added veterans like Mike Daniels and Takk McKinley.
Could a cornerback just 19 months removed from being the 30th overall pick be next?
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