Bullying is frowned upon in society, but in the NFL, it’s welcomed, and that’s the reality New York Giants rookie defender DeAndre Baker suffered through the first few weeks of his professional career.
Opposing teams (Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills) regularly picked on the rookie, torching him for his deficiencies and lack of experience in a complicated James Bettcher defense.
The Georgia product missed essential reps during training camp with a knee injury which could have compromised his effectiveness during the regular season, but the last two weeks of play for Baker have proven to be far better.
“That’s valuable time, especially for a rookie corner,†safety Jabrill Peppers said, via the NY Post. “Those reps that he needed that he’s getting now, some things in the game you have to physically see.â€
Over the last two matchups against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins, Baker has held his opposition to just five catches for 35 yards. He completely shut down Chris Godwin, a player that racked up 172 yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams last weekend.
His ascending gives the Giants more confidence in the secondary and man-coverage, but the catalyst was a few tweaks made by head coach Pat Shurmur and Bettcher. They rotated Baker to the left side of the field instead of featuring him on the right, where he was continuously being torched.
“When he played against the Cowboys, that was the first time he had done it on the NFL level,†coach Pat Shurmur said. “The next week against Buffalo was the second time, and now he did it [Sunday] for the fourth time. I think he’s getting to be more and more comfortable.â€
Experience is treating the New York Giants rookie well:
The expertise and in-game knowledge that DeAndre has gained will prove to be essential to his progression as a rookie in the NFL. Peppers also stated that Baker has the skillset to be a quality corner for years to come, and if that’s the case, he will undoubtedly be Janoris Jenkins’ replacement once he takes his talents elsewhere.
The Giants need Baker to step up to the plate, though, especially after trading up into the first round to grab him, just before a flurry of corners were taken off the board.
One thing that Baker doesn’t lack, though, despite the ability to make a smashing birthday cake, is confidence:
“I never lack confidence. I still feel like I’m one of the best to do it. I just got to prove it.”
He has proved it the last two weeks, but Sunday’s opponent in the Minnesota Vikings will be a much more daunting task.