A Look at the Giants' Potential Options to Replace DeAndre Baker

With DeAndre Baker having found himself entwined in some serious legal issues, the Giants' secondary just lost a piece it was counting on in a big way in 2020. So where can they go from here?

Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via USA TODAY NETWORK

The armed robbery and aggravated assault allegations against Giants second-year cornerback DeAndre Baker have put his future with the Giants in doubt, leaving the team without its highest-drafted defensive back and without a key player on whom they were counting for the 2020 season.

Baker struggled early in 2019, as he was plugged in as a rookie to man an outside corner spot right away. According to Pro Football Focus, after a change in role, Baker steadily improved to close the season.

Since the Giants bye week, DeAndre Baker has the 6th best coverage grade among all qualified CB’s over the last 4 games.

In this same time period, QB’s targeting Baker are completing just 26.3% of their passes, the lowest percentage targeting any CB

— PFF NY Giants (@PFF_Giants) December 18, 2019

Although new Giants head coach Joe Judge has insisted that the team's depth chart isn't yet set, it wouldn't have been a stretch to predict Baker starting opposite of free-agent acquisition James Bradberry in the Giants defensive backfield.

But with Baker's short NFL career likely over if the accusations against him are proven to be true in a court of law, the Giants are faced with having to explore other options.

The first opinion is veteran Logan Ryan, a 29-year-old Ryan is a New Jersey native and former Rutgers standout who played the first four years of his NFL career with the Patriots before moving on to the Titans.

Ryan has recorded 78 passes defended and 17 interceptions in his NFL career. He has been linked to the New York Jets this off-season, but according to the Miami Herald, Ryan is believed to be looking for $10 million per season and seems willing to hold out for the right offer.

Ryan has excelled in the slot and has been praised for his character and is certainly a good enough player who would be a nice fit for any team that chooses to sign him.

But with the Giants left with $16.6 million in cap space, splurging $10 million on Ryan, if that is indeed his asking price, doesn't make much sense at this juncture, not with the Giants needing to sign the rest of their rookie draft class.

Absence signing a veteran such as Ryan, which is a longshot at this point, the Giants might look to whom they already have on their roster, starting with 2019 fourth-round pick, Julian Love, who primarily played cornerback at Notre Dame.

As a slot/safety hybrid in 2019, Love filled in for Jabrill Peppers at safety when Peppers when down with an injury, recording an interception and a forced fumble as the 32nd-ranked safety in the league by Pro Football Focus.

Love is no stranger to playing outside cornerback, and his skillset might make for an interesting fit based on what is known about defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's defense.

In taking bits and pieces from the systems that Graham was in during previous career stops, the schemes have used defensive backs in different capacities.

Love has shown himself to be versatile as a blitzer and in coverage, plus his time spent at safety could give him a potential leg up in any competition.

Sam Beal, the Giants' third-round supplemental draft pick in 2018, is another option. Beal's biggest problem thus far has been an inability to stay on the field.

Beal has missed 26 of 32 games since being drafted. After finally getting on the field for the final six games of 2019, Beal compiled 26 combine tackles (missing none), one pass defended, and a 76.2% completion percentage against.

If Beal, initially projected as a starting cornerback for the team until Bradberry signed, can stay healthy, the competition between him and Love could be a highlight of camp.

The Giants added two more young players in the draft this year, fourth-rounder Darnay Holmes out of UCLA and seventh-round pick Chris Williamson out of Minnesota.

Both of those players, however, project as being more of a slot cornerback, though if they can get in some quality reps in training camp on the outside, they'd definitely be worth a look.