New York Giants’ DeAndre Baker’s case is still going through the appeal process, hopefully, all checks out and Baker is innocent. DeAndre Baker’s lawyer has filed a not guilty plea for all eight charges in his armed robbery and aggravated assault case.
His lawyer Bradford Cohen stated on Instagram:
“We have affidavits from several witnesses that also dispute the allegations and exculpate our client.”
The New York Giants might start the 2020 season without their second-year cornerback who never gave up a coverage touchdown pass in college. In college, DeAndre was used to playing man/pressed coverage. Under defensive coordinator James Bettcher, Baker was involved in a lot of zone coverage. This was something new to Baker, he struggled tremendously while playing zone. Now, this is a huge blow for the Giants’ secondary, there were a lot of expectations for Baker in year two after a tough rookie season. A lot of teams took advantage of the Giants’ defense and Baker in 2019. Left Baker alone on an island with a team’s top receiver. If he is not back in time for the 2020 season, Sam Beal will have to take charge and fill the shoes of Baker. I think Beal should get a shot even if Baker is back. Beal has battled injuries his whole NFL career, 2020 could be a breakout year for Beal in my mind.Â
NEW – MUGSHOT RELEASED: NY #Giants' DeAndre Baker, charged with 4 counts of armed robbery, 4 counts of assault, booked into Broward County, FL, jail https://t.co/VowehjFBU2 pic.twitter.com/4kIoCGKSZG
— 1010 WINS (@1010WINS) May 16, 2020
Sam Beal was drafted in the third round of the supplemental draft back in 2018. His rookie season was cut short due to a shoulder injury just two weeks into training camp. At Western Michigan, Beal was a very productive quality player. In three seasons at Western Michigan, Beal played in 37 games with 23 total starts. In 2017, Beal started all 11 games, he also had the highest coverage grade in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during that season. This is not a fluke season, Beal has the skillset and athleticism to play ball in the NFL.
Sam Beal Profile
Sam Beal fits the ideal NFL cornerback stereotype, 6’1″, 177 pounds, and ran a 4.47 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. With explosive speed, Beal could be a lockdown corner in the NFL, it ultimately depends on if he is healthy or not. In 2019, the Giants finally got to see Beal in action, but only for six games. In those six games, Beal started in three of them, and recorded 20 solo tackles and a safety! Pretty impressive, it’s not easy to come back to a deflated defense and make bigtime plays.
What Sam Beal needs to work on
If Sam Beal wants to be a big part of the New York Giants’ defense, he needs to limit his completion percentage allowed. In 2019, Beal allowed 16 completed passes when targeted and over 170 yards allowed on those completions. A 76.2% completion percentage allowed is not going to help the Giants’ defense.
What we can expect from Sam Beal
Sam Beal is a scrappy corner who can be used in the box or even in the slot. Having a speedster in the secondary will give the Giants a huge boost, even if Baker returns. Beal could ear a lot of reps through training camp. If Baker is suspended or released from the team, Beal will get a chance to prove himself as a valuable piece on the defense. Hopefully, there are no injury concerns for Beal in 2020, the Giants would love to have him on the field.