With football at a standstill until training camp begins in a few weeks, the New York Giants are merely waiting for their players’ legal issues to be ironed out.
DeAndre Baker was accused of armed robbery and has since taken significant steps toward innocence. The initial witnesses that claimed his involvement have since rescinded their comments. According to Baker’s lawyer, they have written affidavits indicating he wasn’t involved.
Baker was reportedly playing Madden in a separate room when the incident occurred, and the statements exonerate Baker from any involvement. However, the legal system is still being drawn out, and the Giants are awaiting clearance for him to return to normal activities.
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On Friday afternoon, though, Quinton Dunbar of the Seattle Seahawks, the second player involved in the incident, asked the Florida court for permission to travel outside the state so he can attend training camp. The court allowed this request unanimously, which gives Baker the same rights.
NEW: Quinton Dunbar asks FL court for permission to travel outside the state so that he can attend @Seahawks training camp, which commences the last week of July in Washington. Motion is unopposed and notes that similar permission was granted to co-defendant DeAndre Baker. pic.twitter.com/ZGoztOO3Qn
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) July 10, 2020
While the Giants did state that Baker should stay away until he figures out his legal issues, his availability for training camp could be allowed. There is no comment from the team at this time on the matter.
The New York Giants were expecting a lot out of DeAndre Baker in 2020:
General manager Dave Gettleman traded up in 2019 NFL draft a secure Baker, the number one corner on the board out of Georgia. Despite the draft capital they spent to acquire him, the Giants utilized him poorly in a zone scheme. Baker is best playing man coverage in a more physical way.
Over 16 games in his rookie season, Baker posted 61 combined tackles, eight passes defended, a 61.4 completion rate against, and six touchdowns. Overall, he was abysmal in most categories but saw a slight improvement as the season progressed. With new defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham, instituting a more man coverage heavy scheme, the expectation is that Baker will improve with it.