The D.C. Defenders released tight end Briley Moore-McKinney and defensive back Deandre Baker on Saturday according to the UFL transactions page.
Briley Moore-McKinney is six foot four and weighs 250 pounds. The 28-year-old from Blue Spring, Missouri, was re-acquired from the Columbus Aviators on February 10, 2026, for defensive tackle Patrick Jenkins.
Moore-McKinney signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent on May 14, 2021. He played one preseason game in 2022 with two catches for 14 yards. The D.C. Defenders drafted Moore-McKinney in the fifth round (33rd) in the 2023 XFL Draft. In 2023, he made 11 catches for 80 yards and one touchdown in eight games, helping the Defenders reach the XFL Championship game.
The Defenders re-signed Moore-McKinney on October 18, 2023. In 2024, he made nine catches for 51 yards and one touchdown in four games.
The Defenders re-signed Moore-McKinney on October 24, 2024. In 2025, he made 15 catches for 205 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. In the UFL playoffs, he made two catches for 13 yards and one touchdown in two games, helping the Defenders win the UFL Championship over the Michigan Panthers. The Columbus Aviators drafted him in the 2026 UFL Draft.
Collegiately, Moore-McKinney played four seasons at Northern Iowa (2016-19) with 85 catches for 1,116 yards, five touchdowns, and five kick returns for 54 yards in 36 games for the Panthers. He was named First Team All-MVFC and best Tight End in the MVC by HERO Sports in 2018.
Then, Moore-McKinney transferred to Kansas in 2020 with 22 catches for 338 yards, three touchdowns, and one tackle (1 solo) in nine games for the Wildcats.
Deandre Baker is five foot eleven and weighs 186 pounds. The 28-year-old from Miami, Florida, re-signed with the Defenders on January 30, 2025. In 2025, he made 22 tackles (18 solos, 4 assists), four tackles for loss, two interceptions, and 10 pass breakups in eight games. In the UFL playoffs, Baker made five tackles (4 solos, 1 assist), one tackle for loss, and two pass breakups, helping the Defenders win the UFL Championship over the Michigan Panthers.
The New York Giants drafted Baker in the first round (30th pick) of the 2019 NFL Draft. In 2019, Baker made 61 tackles (48 solos, 13 assists), two tackles for loss, and eight pass breakups in 15 starts for the Giants. He was released by the Giants on September 8, 2020.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Baker on November 19, 2020. In 2021, he made 16 tackles (13 solos, 3 assists) and one pass breakup in eight games. He played two seasons with 21 tackles (17 solos, 4 assists), one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit, and two pass breakups in ten games, of which two were starts. The Chiefs released him on August 7, 2022.
The D.C. Defenders signed Baker on January 26, 2024. In 2024, Baker made 22 tackles (19 solos, 3 assists), one tackle for loss, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble in 10 games. He was named to the All-UFL Team.
Collegiately, Baker played four seasons at Georgia (2015-18) with 116 tackles (83 solos, 33 assists), four tackles for loss, one sack, seven interceptions for 146 yards, 31 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 51 games for the Bulldogs.
Baker was named First Team All-SEC by the Associated Press & Coaches in 2018, First Team All-American by the Associated Press in 2018, and the winner of the Jim Thorpe Award in 2018.
