No matter how DeAndre Baker’s legal situation plays out, the New York Giants now find themselves in a position where they must consider a change at cornerback.
Baker reportedly slept through team meetings in 2019, was called “unprofessional” by his teammates and then skipped portions of the team’s voluntary offseason program earlier this month. Coupled with poor play as a rookie, the red flags are abundant.
The good news for New York? They have invested heavily in young talent at the position in recent years, including Sam Beal in 2018 and Corey Ballentine in 2019.
Both of those players now stand to gain from Baker’s legal troubles whether that’s deemed fair or unfair. Sometimes that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
General manager Dave Gettleman made the unconventional move of selecting Beal out of Western Michigan in the third round of the 2018 Supplemental Draft, which drew some ire. However, Gettleman never wavered.
“For what it’s worth, we really feel strongly that if Sam were in this draft he’d be a second-round pick,” Gettleman told reporters prior to the 2019 NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Beal missed his rookie season however, landing on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Things got no easier in 2019 as Beal missed an early portion of the season due to a hamstring injury, which stunted his development significantly.
Beal eventually returned to the field and saw action in six games, recording 26 tackles and one pass defensed.
“I’m different,” Beal said last May, via the New York Post. “I’m smart, I’m quick, and I’m fast at the same time. You can be quick, you can be fast, but I’m quick and I’m fast. And I’m a physical corner. If they put me anywhere, I can play it. I got range out the door. I can get sideline to sideline just as fast as anybody else.”
To Beal’s credit, he’s become a study machine. Although the injuries have been frustrating, he’s spent the down time preparing himself mentally, which is something that will serve him well while having to learn Patrick Graham’s new system.
But Beal isn’t alone in the running for Baker’s job. 2019 sixth-round pick Corey Ballentine will also be in the mix.
After flashing throughout the 2019 preseason, Ballentine struggled mightily during the regular season, finishing the year with 26 tackles, two passes defensed and 36.6 Pro Football Focus grade.
However, the structure of a solid cornerback was clearly there for the 6-foot, 192-pound Ballentine. And although we’re not making excuses for him, Ballentine clearly had some other things to deal with as a rookie that were more important than football.
Hours after being drafted by the Giants, Ballentine was the victim of a drive-by shooting. He suffered a gunshot wound and his best friend, Dwane Simmons, was killed.
Ballentine was forced to spend the early part of his career recovering and grieving, later facing the accused shooter in court. And to this day, the bullet remains lodged in Ballentine’s body.
There is a level of unfortunate irony in the reality that Ballentine will now potentially battle for a starting position because his teammate, DeAndre Baker, allegedly pulled out a gun in order to rob others. It’s a cruel twist of fate, but again, sometimes that’s just how the cookie crumbles.
Ballentine will benefit from a completely fresh slate under first-year head coach Joe Judge and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, and it will allow him to keep pace with everyone else in the cornerback room.
Although neither Beal nor Ballentine are guarantees to lock-down the role next to veteran James Bradberry, their presence provides much-needed insurance for the Giants as they await Baker’s fate.
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