Chris Baker seemed to believe the possibility existed that he would return to the Washington Redskins during free agency. He was even expecting a contract offer. It never came to pass, though. Now, he is with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and speaking out about the shocking end to his tenure in the nation's capital.
An unfortunate ending in Washington
More than anything, Baker simply wished to be wanted in Washington. It didn't happen, as the team didn't even offer him a contract, as expected. In the immediate aftermath of his departure, he tweeted his disappointment about not being wanted while expressing his feelings about missing teammates in the city.
He continued that narrative during an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio on Saturday.
During his radio appearance, Baker claimed that it was "hurtful" that the team didn't offer him a contract in free agency. He cited his trajectory as reason for him staying, moving from the team's practice squad all the way to the starting lineup. He admitted that he understood the nature of the football business though, respecting that finances played a part in his ultimate departure from Washington.
Looking to the future
There are a multitude of factors that could have led to Baker not getting an offer from Washington. One of the biggest is likely the turmoil in the front office, with the general manager being fired on the eve of free agency and no replacement being named, even to this day.
He may have felt disrespected, but factors completely out of his control were most to blame. He may be headed to a location with more stability now.
In fact, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers clearly have a gameplan as to how they are going to qualify for the playoffs sooner rather than later. They added weapons this offseason, signing wide receiver DeSean Jackson to stretch the field alongside elite receiver Mike Evans. Things may not have gone according to plan at the end of his time with the Washington Redskins, but Chris Baker should reap the rewards of a better team (and more money) next season.
