Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Deandre Baker returned to the field on Saturday for the first time since suffering a fractured femur during the Week 17 match against the L.A. Chargers last season.
Following the team’s closed practice, Baker revealed to reporters that he’s feeling almost 100-percent healthy going into training camp.
“Yeah, I’m pretty close to 100%,” Baker said.
The season-ending injury was just one more obstacle for Baker, who was already faced with enough challenges in his young career. Legal issues caused him to be released from the New York Giants, the team that drafted him. Baker credits the Chiefs’ training staff for helping him through such a significant injury.
“It was definitely frustrating, but Rick (Burkholder) and his staff, man, they get in and work every day,” Baker said. “They got me here and now I’m back on the field, ready to work.”
Before getting injured, Baker showed promise in his only start of the 2020 season. Although there was no guarantee he’d ever see the field during Kansas City’s run to Super Bowl 55, he definitely wanted to continue building off of that momentum with his new squad.
“I mean there were a few things I could have done better, but overall I feel like I played well,” Baker said. “I could have done a lot of things better, though. Just a little bit of technical things that I have to clean up, that I’m working on today.”
Although he was still rehabbing an injured foot, Baker continued to work over the offseason during OTAs and minicamp to ensure that he’d be able to pick up where he left off.
“Oh yeah, I gained a lot from that,” Baker said. “I was in the meeting rooms and got a lot of mental reps, so whenever I’d be able to get on the field, I’d be able to help the team and I could be fluid with everything that we do.”
Now that he’s back and almost fully healthy, Baker has his sights on one thing, and that’s to show the coaching staff he deserves to play at GEHA field at Arrowhead Stadium this upcoming fall.
“I just want to help the team and just show the guys that I want to be here,” Baker said. “Come out there and work and show them that I deserve to be here.”
Baker recognizes how valuable the opportunity the Chiefs have afforded him is, and it’s something he doesn’t intend to take for granted.
“It means a lot to me,” Baker said. “The Chiefs gave me another chance at a phenomenal organization. I’m just here to work. I’m happy to be here.”
