If anyone had any hope that New York Giants second-year cornerback and 2019 first-round pick DeAndre Baker would play in 2020, they can pretty much forget it now.
On Monday, a Florida judge rescheduled Baker’s September 15 arraignment proceeding stemming from his armed robbery arrest earlier this summer to next January 21 as a result of the court’s backlog due to COVID-19.
The judge in DeAndre Baker's case, I'm told, pushed back all September hearings due to Florida's standing order of courts closed to COVID-19, with no concrete answer on when it will be lifted. So Baker's defense didn't request this delay. Judge decided it. https://t.co/BufypbQeDi
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) September 1, 2020
That will likely keep Baker on the commissioner’s exempt list indefinitely.
On Monday, the three alleged victims filed a $100,000 civil lawsuit against Baker, which leads to the question that they may have knowledge the criminal case against Baker may not be strong enough to yield a conviction.
The details of the May 13 incident that transpired at house party in Miramar, Florida have been in dispute from the very beginning. First off, Baker and another NFL player, Seattle Seahawks defensive back Quinton Dunbar, were both said to rob jewelry off guests at the party via gunpoint. The story then changed to the point where Dunbar was not charged.
Second, Baker has never run afoul of the law and, by all accounts, is not the type to participate in such behavior. He signed a four-year, $10,525,716 contract ($9,007,390 guaranteed) last spring and it makes little sense for him to commit robbery.
Baker is still under contract to the Giants. They have not cut ties with him but this delay is being treated as a setback since it keeps Baker’s future in limbo.
