Darrell Baker Jr. bids farewell to Indianapolis colts as he announced to join Tennessee Titans.

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.

The Tennessee roster is back to 53 players after placing rookie linebacker Cedric Gray on injured reserve. Gray will be sidelined for at least four games due to a shoulder issue that head coach Brian Callahan previously described as nerve-related.

Carthon’s initial 53-man roster included only four cornerbacks when it was submitted to the league by Tuesday’s mid-afternoon deadline. The Titans have strong starters at the position, with L’Jarius Sneed, Roger McCreary, and Chido Awuzie leading the group. The only other cornerback on the original 53-man roster was rookie fifth-round pick Jarvis Brownlee Jr.

It was expected that the Titans would use their final roster spot on a fifth cornerback after recent transactions reduced the roster to 52 players. It’s important to note that three cornerbacks are also on the practice squad. Baker was promoted directly to the active roster, moving ahead of practice squad cornerbacks Gabe Jeudy-Lally, Tre Avery, and Anthony Kendall.

Baker entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Georgia Southern after the 2022 NFL Draft. He initially signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a UDFA but was waived during final roster cuts. He then joined the Colts via the practice squad, where he spent the last two seasons (2022-23).

As a rookie in 2022, Baker was eventually promoted to the Colts’ active roster, where he played exclusively on special teams, including recovering a fumble against the Houston Texans in Week 18. In 2023, Baker made the Colts’ roster as a sophomore, appearing in 14 games with six starts and finishing second on the team with seven pass breakups.

However, Baker’s performance in 2023 was inconsistent. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 28 receptions on 49 targets, resulting in a passer rating of 101.7 and earning a coverage grade of 54.4. Despite signing an extension in January, the Colts waived Baker on Wednesday, and the Titans claimed him the following day.

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.