New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker has officially been placed on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. This is big news for the Giants who are set to begin training camp tomorrow. DeAndre Baker was planning on reporting to training camp, but the NFL has now decided to take action. The Giants have also now made a decision; they are not granting DeAndre Baker permission to participate in training camp or other team activities. DeAndre will have to wait until his legal situation is ironed out before he can return to the Giants.
DeAndre Baker is accused of committing armed robbery and has eight felony charges looming overhead. The legal situation is unresolved, though, and prosecutors have not yet determined whether to proceed with the case. Because of this uncertainty, Commissioner Goodell has placed DeAndre Baker on the commissioner’s exempt list.
What Is The Commissioner’s Exempt List and How Does It Work?
Essentially, the commissioner’s exempt list places DeAndre Baker on paid leave. He will still be a member of the New York Giants but he will not be a participating member of the team:
“While on the commissioner’s exempt list, a player is paid as if he were on the active roster, yet he does not count against his team’s 53-man active roster limit. A player on the exempt list is not allowed to practice or attend games, but he is allowed to be present at the facility for meetings, to work out, and to receive treatment.” – via NBC Sports.
“The Exempt List is a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances. The List includes those players who have been declared by the Commissioner to be temporarily exempt from counting within the Active List limit. Only the Commissioner has the authority to place a player on the Exempt List; clubs have no such authority, and no exemption, regardless of circumstances, is automatic.” – NFL.com
DeAndre Baker will continue to be a New York Giant for as long as he is not found guilty. The Giants had not cut ties with Baker yet because there is a chance that he is found innocent and exonerated of these charges. Baker was a first-round pick just two years ago and is viewed as a key building block for the Giants’ defense. The hope is for DeAndre to be found innocent and continue his career with the Giants. But for as long as this case is unsettled, Baker will remain on the commissioner’s exempt list.