Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!
When New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman move up into the latter portion of the 2019 NFL Draft, everybody knew he was gunning for the top cornerback, Deandre Baker, out of Georgia.
Baker was well-known for his press-coverage and speed matched up against opposing team’s No. 1 wideout, but his transition to the NFL has been everything but smooth. Being torched and targeted by other teams has been an everyday reality for the young corner, a player who Gettleman believed could succeed Janoris Jenkins when drafted.
However, Barker hasn’t only been beaten badly numerous times, he’s lacked effort and accountability for his mistakes, and his teammates were quick to point out his wrongdoings. Lacking energy and being reckless is one way to put yourself in the dog-house, and red flags of arrogance were blatant before Baker’s drafting.
Ultimately, the Giants need to find a way to punish DeAndre for his mishaps, as hustle is the one thing every player can do to perfection — lacking it tells a whole different story.
The defense ripping him apart is undoubtedly an awkward situation, but it’s a necessity if Big Blue is keen on establishing a culture of accountability and discipline. Moving forward, players need to benched in this scenario. Consider the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and what they did to Vernon Hargreaves (cut immediately following lack of effort).
While I don’t believe cutting Baker is necessary, benching him and giving a different player an opportunity is justified. Also, a lack of a true mentor seems to be bleeding through, as Janoris Jenkins was supposed to be the elder Baker looked up to. We’ve also seen Jenkins lack effort in the past. The New York Giants need to find a veteran corner capable of teaching the Georgia product and not allowing him to give up.
“He knows that is unacceptable,” safety and team captain Michael Thomas said, per ESPN. “We’re in a league where you got to be able to have guys that can talk to one another and say, ‘Look, bro. I depend on you and you depend on me. Plays like that are unacceptable.’
“When we can all look at each and speak that way and understand my job really depends on you and yours depends on me, than you realize that things like that are unacceptable.”
Nonetheless–
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