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Billy Baber, a third-year tight end who was most recently with the San Diego Chargers, was signed to the active Tampa Bay roster.
Baber, who entered the league as a fifth-round draft choice of the Chiefs in 2001, has spent most of his NFL career in Kansas City. After toiling on the practice squad as a rookie, he made the active roster the next two years and appeared in 29 games with two starts. Baber contributed three catches for 20 yards and a touchdown over those two seasons and also contributed heavily on special teams.

The 6-4, 260-pound Baber began this season on the Chiefs’ injured reserve list but was waived on November 2, which freed him to resume playing with any team other than Kansas City. He signed with San Diego a week later and spent three weeks on the Chargers’ roster before being waived on November 30.

Tight end Billy Baber signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Chargers, taking the roster spot of suspended backup fullback Andrew Pinnock.

Baber is in his fourth NFL season. He played in 29 games for the Kansas City Chiefs the last three seasons, making two starts. He began this season on the injured reserve list and was waived Nov. 2.


Dec 03, 2001, 8:26:00 AM
DEC 3 (morning)--Kansas City Chiefs President Carl Peterson announced on Monday that the club has promoted TE Billy Baber to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. Baber agreed to terms of a three-year deal. As per Chiefs policy, no further terms of the agreement were released.
Baber (6-3, 258) was originally joined the Chiefs as the first of their two picks in the fifth round (141st overall) in the 2001 NFL Draft. He was released at the conclusion of training camp, but was signed to the developmental squad on September 4th. He spent the first 11 weeks of the season on the practice squad before earning the promotion to the 53-man roster.

Baber joined the Chiefs from Virginia where saw duty in all 44 games (28 starts) during his four years. He finished his collegiate career with 54 receptions for 544 yards (10.1 avg.) with five touchdowns and was All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention selection his final three years. In his final season on the Virginia campus he caught 18 passes for 216 yards (12.0 yards). He caught 17 passes for 118 yards and a career best four touchdowns as a junior.

A prep star at Western Albermarle High School in Virginia, he was a four-year starter at tight end and a two-year starter at defensive end. He was named Group AA All-State, All-Region, All-Jefferson District and All-Valley District as a senior when he caught 27 passes for 533 yards with 10 scores. He also collected 64 tackles and 8.0 sacks on defense.