CHICAGO — The results are not there yet, but the attitude is right. That is defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s take on rookie cornerback DeAndre Baker.
Baker will be one of the players responsible Sunday for dealing with Allen Robinson, who leads the Bears with 57 receptions and 633 receiving yards. The Giants traded up into the back end of the first round of the 2019 draft to get Baker. After a rough start to his career, he has stabilized his play but his performance has not come close to matching his lofty draft status.
“I want some snaps back for him and he wants them back, too,’’ Bettcher said. “The thing that Bake has shown me is that he is willing to come to work. I would worry if we were sitting in the meeting room and he didn’t own a mistake, that’s when I would worry. … I don’t worry because he owns whatever the correction needs to be.’’
Janoris Jenkins, out of the concussion protocol, is expected to start at the other cornerback spot for the Giants.
Tight end Scott Simonson played in all 16 games for the Giants last season — he caught a touchdown pass in the final game — after kicking around with the Raiders and Panthers the past few years. He most likely would have made the roster again this season if not for the sprained ankle he sustained in the preseason finale against the Patriots. Simonson was put on injured reserve and then given an injury settlement.
With Evan Engram (foot) out for this game and Rhett Ellison (concussion) also not available, Scott Simonson was re-signed and might actually move into a starting role, as he has more experience than the only other tight end on the team, rookie Kaden Smith.
Simonson, from Howell, N.J., is more of a blocking tight end. Last season, he caught nine passes for 86 yards and has 10 receptions in his NFL career.
“Scott’s a very steady performer,” coach Pat Shurmur said. “He did a lot of good things for us a year ago. With our injuries at the tight end position with Rhett and Evan, obviously, he was a guy that was on our short list. He was healthy, he came back in, looked good running around. Most likely, he’s going to get an opportunity to play this week.”
Shurmur and Bears coach Matt Nagy briefly were together in the summer of 2008 on Andy Reid’s staff with the Eagles. Nagy started his NFL coaching career as a training camp intern when Shurmur was the quarterbacks coach. The two have remained close.
“Probably my greatest story with him is just the appreciation when I was out of football. I used to try to stay in touch and in contact with the people that you connect with— and he was one,’’ Nagy said. “I put a phone call and a text message in to him and he got right back to me. I just always remembered that, thinking, you know, that’s a high character guy who doesn’t think he’s too big for anybody.’’
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