The New York Giants find themselves in an exceptionally difficult spot thanks to cornerback DeAndre Baker, who is facing eight serious counts after allegedly robbing a private party on Wednesday night with Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar and a third party.
Baker has yet to turn himself in and neither the Giants nor the NFL have issued substantial comment, but expect a suspension or release in the coming hours or days.
Although the Giants have loaded up at the cornerback position over the past two seasons, their positional group will take a substantial hit without the presence of Baker, a first-round pick in 2019.
With that in mind, here’s a rough guide to seven players the Giants could sign to replace Baker.
Logan Ryan
Ryan is probably the most obvious choice for the Giants not only because he’s arguably the best cornerback remaining on the free agent market, but because he’s been connected to the team quite a bit this offseason.
Ryan recently praised head coach Joe Judge, while Giants Wire also listed him as an under-the-radar free agent to sign back in March.
The former Rutgers and New England Patriots star should be very high on the Giants’ shopping list. They need a veteran corner who knows the ropes and how to win and the connection to Joe Judge and Patrick Graham has to come into play here.
Eli Apple
It’s unlikely — highly unlikely — but the former Giants first-round pick is back on the market after his deal with the Las Vegas Raiders fell through.
Apple had a tumultuous time in New York, which included public fights with teammates and suspensions, but he never pulled out a gun and robbed an entire party (allegedly), so there’s that.
Would general manager Dave Gettleman want to go back to the well with Apple, who would likely want to stay out of New York anyway? Probably not, but both find themselves in dire situations and could benefit from each other on a one-year deal.
Crazier things have happened. Just look at the entirety of 2020 as an example of that.
Dre Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick is 30 years old and missed 10 games in 2019 as the result of a knee injury, so it’s clear his best football is now behind him. Still, there are precious few fish swimming around in the pond at this point, and if nothing else, Kirkpatrick would provide the Giants a quality veteran presence.
Kirkpatrick drew interest from the Las Vegas Raiders before they signed former Giant Prince Amukamara, and he may wind up on the Seattle Seahawks’ radar for the same reason he may wind up on the Giants’.
It’s likely Kirkpatrick could be had for a low-end one-year deal, so the cap impact would be minimal. And while head coach Joe Judge isn’t interested in signing “teachers,” that’s exactly the type of role Kirkpatrick could come in to play while also serving as a quality depth presence.
Ross Cockrell
Another former Giant makes an appearance on this list, and why not? He didn’t exactly light things up during his time in East Rutherford, but he was serviceable.
Cockrell has had his moments in recent years, but it’s been somewhat of a rollercoaster — some really good, some really bad.
In 2019, Cockrell allowed a passer rating of 68.6, a completion percentage of 55.2 and just a single touchdown. Since 2010, he’s also among the league’s best cornerbacks in forced incompletion percent.
Darqueze Dennard
Dennard is really more of a slot corner, which isn’t exactly what the Giants need, but beggars can’t be choosers right now — it’s all about adding bodies and options.
Dennard is actually one of the most talented cornerbacks remaining on the open market, but his injury history is of major concern. He’s played a full 16-game slate just once during his six-year NFL career, and was limited to just nine games a season ago.
Still, Dennard finished the 2019 season with a 72.2 grade courtesy of Pro Football Focus, having allowed just 18 receptions.
Trumaine Johnson
After absolutely bombing with the New York Jets, no one is going to be excited to see Trumaine Johnson’s name listed here as a potential option. But don’t get mad at me, get mad at DeAndre Baker for creating this situation.
The Jets ate a ton of dead cap just to be rid of Johnson, who missed 15 games over two seasons in East Rutherford, but there was a reason they signed him to a five-year, $72 million deal in the first place.
While with the Rams, Johnson had excelled and established himself as one of the better (not best) cornerbacks in football. But that’s not who the Giants would need right now — they just need a quality presence to help bridge the gap from Baker to whatever and whoever comes next, even if it’s an in-house option just needing a little more time.
At the age of 30, Johnson’s career is winding down and he could be had for a cheap one-year deal.
Brandon Carr
The 33-year-old Brandon Carr (who will be 34 in a matter of days) may not seem like an ideal option for the Giants, but they aren’t exactly in an ideal situation.
On the plus side? Carr has never missed a game in his 12-year NFL career and logged an impressive 748 defensive snaps for the Baltimore Ravens a season ago. He finished the year with a 67.5 Pro Football Focus grade, which isn’t terrible, all things considered.
Obviously, Carr wouldn’t be a long-term answer for the Giants, but if he could be had a one-year deal or a one-year deal with second-year option, what would be the harm?
Outside of Logan Ryan, Carr may be the ideal answer for New York at the moment.
