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3 Cornerbacks the Giants Should Sign as DeAndre Baker Deals With Legal Issues

By Scott Rogust

The Giants should focus on signing one of these three cornerbacks with DeAndre Baker dealing with legal issues.
The Giants should focus on signing one of these three cornerbacks with DeAndre Baker dealing with legal issues. / Mark Brown/Getty Images

The New York Giants' offseason was going swimmingly until they received troubling news about starting cornerback DeAndre Baker. The 2019 first-round pick is currently facing allegations of committing armed robbery down in Miramar, Fla. last Wednesday. As he deals with this serious legal situation, the Giants have told Baker to stay away from the team until they're resolved.

Let's not sugarcoat it -- Baker was a brutal corner for the Giants this past season. He was burned by quarterbacks all season, didn't understand the playbook, and reportedly fell asleep in team meetings. Even if Baker comes back to the Giants, they still need an upgrade at cornerback.

Here are three free agent corners that the Giants should sign as Baker deals with his legal issues.

3. Darqueze Dennard

Darqueze Dennard was a bright spot on the Bengals defense last season.
Darqueze Dennard was a bright spot on the Bengals defense last season. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Even though the Giants have $16 million in cap space, they'll likely explore adding a cheap option on the open market. Darqueze Dennard fits the bill, but he's no slouch. He was the lone bright spot on the brutal Cincinnati Bengals defense last season. Dennard is primarily a slot cornerback, but he's one of the best in the entire league. Since entering the NFL in 2014, Dennard has allowed the lowest catch rate on throws longer than 10 yards in the slot, per Pro Football Focus. More importantly, Dennard is a leader on and off the field, something the Giants will definitely fall in love with. Bringing in the former Bengal on a cheap one-to-two year deal would be a wise move by general manager Dave Gettleman.

2. Dre Kirkpatrick

Dre Kirkpatrick has a connection with Giants head coach Joe Judge.
Dre Kirkpatrick has a connection with Giants head coach Joe Judge. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Yes, we have another Cincinnati Bengal corner on this list, but bear with us. Dre Kirkpatrick was a former first round pick, and never exactly lived up to the expectations placed upon him, especially in recent years. Even so, he's still a better corner than Baker. More importantly, Judge knows Kirkpatrick during their time at Alabama. Judge was an assistant coach on Nick Saban's staff, while Kirkpatrick was a star cornerback with the Crimson Tide. We've seen Judge bring in familiar faces this offseason, so we can't rule out Kirkpatrick. Plus, he could come at a cheap price tag, considering he's coming off an injury-shortened 2019 campaign.

1. Logan Ryan

Logan Ryan is the best cornerback option available on the open market.
Logan Ryan is the best cornerback option available on the open market. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Signing Logan Ryan makes too much sense for the Giants. Ryan's coming off the best season of his career with the Tennessee Titans, where he logged 113 tackles, 18 passes defensed, 4.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Besides that, you have to connect the dots between Ryan and the Giants. Ryan is a New Jersey native and a Rutgers alum. More importantly, Ryan played specials teams under Judge during his four seasons with the New England Patriots. Trying to secure Ryan could be difficult for the Giants, considering the corner has received serious interest from the New York Jets, but he's worth entering a bidding war for. Ryan's an immediate upgrade over Baker, whether he's on the team or not.