Back in early March, the Kansas City Chiefs extended a qualifying contract offer to Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA) CB Deandre Baker. On Friday, Baker officially signed that contract according to the NFL’s personnel notice. This is merely a formality ensuring he’ll be back with the team for the 2022 NFL season.

ERFAs are veteran free agents who have yet to accrue three seasons in the NFL. They don’t become an unrestricted free agent that can sign with any team, and their original team holds exclusive negotiating rights. If an ERFA is tendered a qualifying contract offer by their team prior to free agency, they are unable to refuse that offer and become an unrestricted free agent. They can only reach unrestricted free agency if a team declines to extend a qualifying offer or pulls the qualifying offer.

Baker’s qualifying offer is expected to be a one-year deal for $925K as he has accrued two NFL seasons. Salaries for ERFA’s are typically very cheap, amounting to very little in terms of salary cap impact.

The Chiefs first signed Deandre Baker to the practice squad back in 2020. He was promoted to the 53-man roster via standard elevation twice that year. Baker suffered a serious non-contact leg fracture in the final game of the regular season in 2020. He made a big return in 2021, appearing in eight games including one start in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles. In total, he played a combined 238 snaps on defense in the regular season and postseason, recording 16 total tackles and a pass defended.

Baker should be in the mix for more playing time in 2022. With injuries to Rashad Fenton, Trent McDuffie and Joshua Williams, it’s possible that Baker works his way into the starting lineup early on in training camp next month.