Tennessee Titans claim third-year CB off waivers from Indianapolis Colts

The Tennessee Titans claimed cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. off waivers on Thursday from their division rival Indianapolis Colts. Titans general manager Ran Carthon possesses the seventh-highest priority on the waiver wire, an advantage he triggered to claim Baker. Tennessee will remain that in that No. 7 priority spot for the next few weeks at least.

Tennessee's roster is back at 53 after placing rookie linebacker Cedric Gray on IR. Gray will be forced to miss a minimum of four contests with what head Brian Callahan previously called a nerve-related issue in his shoulder.

Carthon's initial 53 man roster featured just four cornerbacks when it was submitted to the league by Tuesday's mid-afternoon deadline. The Titans are top heavy at the position with starters L'Jarius Sneed, Roger McCreary, and Chido Awuzie. The only other corner on the first iteration of the 53 was rookie fifth-round pick Jarvis Brownlee Jr.

The Titans were always expected to use their final roster spot on a fifth cornerback once recent transactions trimmed the number back down to 52. It's worth acknowledging three cornerbacks are on the practice squad as well. Baker shifts straight to the active roster, leaping ahead of practice squad cornerbacks Gabe Jeudy-Lally, Tre Avery, and Anthony Kendall.

Baker initially entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Southern following the conclusion of the 2022 NFL Draft. He signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a UDFA, but was waived at final cuts. Baker then joined the Colts via the practice squad, spending the previous two seasons (2022-23) with the organization.

Baker was eventually elevated to the Colts' active roster as a rookie in 2022. He played exclusively on special teams, recovering a fumble versus the Houston Texans in Week 18. Baker actually made the Colts roster as a sophomore in 2023, appearing in 14 contests with six starts, finishing second on the team in pass breakups with seven.

The results were inconsistent in 2023. Pro Football Focus credited Baker with allowing 28 receptions on 49 targets for a passer rating allowed of 101.7 en route to a coverage grade of 54.4. Despite signing an extension in January, the Colts waived Baker on Wednesday. He was claimed by the Titans one day later.

Baker showcased growth potential throughout this most recent preseason period. He improved his PFF coverage grade to 74.3 while playing 46 snaps in coverage. Baker allowed just two receptions, and forced two incompletions. For now, he'll play on special teams as the team's fifth cornerback on the depth chart.