Former Giants 1st-round bust could resurrect NFL career with Cowboys in 2024

The Dallas Cowboys haven't made many major moves in the 2024 offseason thanks to limited cap space, but they may have just made one of the most intriguing moves of the summer. The Cowboys have reportedly worked out former first-round pick Deandre Baker, a cornerback who floated around the NFL for a few years before playing for the DC Defenders of the UFL this year.

Baker earned All-UFL honors this season and was making game-changing plays like this one throughout the year:

Cowboys reportedly working out former NY Giants first-round pick DeAndre Baker

A former first-round pick potentially reviving his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys would be cool enough, but what makes this particular situation even sweeter? Baker was a failed former first-round pick of the Cowboys' division rival New York Giants.

Get Deandre Baker in the building with Al Harris, one of the best defensive backs coaches in the NFL, and see what he can do. There's absolutely no downside to this, and although it was against a lower level of competition in the UFL, Baker obviously still has something in the tank.

He was the 30th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Giants. He's still just 26 years old. He was involved in some off-field issues that got him released by New York after just one season, and he resurfaced quickly with the Kansas City Chiefs where he spent a couple of years. But the last time Baker was on an NFL roster was in August of 2022. He needed an opportunity like he got in the UFL to prove that he can still play when given extensive snaps.

You just never know with players like this, and it's important to take calculated risks when you get a shot at it. The Cowboys let Stephon Gilmore walk this offseason, and although they have a solid cornerback group, it's one of the most important positions on a team to have depth. The Cowboys know this all too well.

Why would you not get a talented player like this for Al Harris to work with? He's going to be in game-ready shape having just played a full season in the UFL, so you won't have to worry about that aspect of it. Heck, the Cowboys could be looking at multiple former first-round reclamation projects as former Raiders first-rounder Gareon Conley -- another cornerback -- was also on their list of players getting a look.

Even with the circumstances considered, perhaps the Cowboys can do what the New York Giants couldn't and see Deandre Baker have sustained success at the NFL level.

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