Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker has requested a trade, according to multiple reports. Here’s what you need to know:
- Baker spent the first six seasons of his career with the Cardinals.
- The 27-year-old is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-team All-Pro.
- Arizona went 4-13 in 2022, finishing fourth in the NFC West.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
What’s behind this?
Baker may want an extension that will make him the game’s highest-paid safety (per overthecap.com, he’s seventh), but there’s likely more to this. Of everyone in an Arizona uniform last season, Baker seemed most bothered with the losing and direction of the organization.
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His passionate postgame speech after an October loss to the Rams was featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
After a loss to San Francisco, he questioned the team’s effort. Linebacker Zaven Collins said Baker may demand more of players than even the coaching staff. And now the Cardinals face a major rebuild.
The defense already has lost three top players — defensive linemen J.J. Watt (retirement) and Zach Allen (signed with Denver), as well as cornerback Byron Murphy (signed with Minnesota). Extension or not, it’s hard to blame Baker for wanting out. — Haller
Is it possible Arizona trades him?
Even with Baker, the Cardinals weren’t going to contend next season. Not with quarterback Kyler Murray recovering from ACL surgery. Not with the team trying to trade star receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The Cardinals have made moves in free agency (they have a ton of holes), but so far the losses trump the gains. A five-time Pro Bowler, Baker is the best football player on the roster. In film meetings, coaches highlight him to show others how to play with full effort. He’s a team leader and fan favorite.
A Baker trade might accelerate the rebuild with draft picks, but the local PR hit would be severe. And it’s not like Arizona has had a lot of good news lately. — Haller
Backstory
The Cardinals drafted Baker at No. 36 in the 2017 NFL Draft. Through 93 career games played, Baker has 7.5 sacks, seven interceptions and 468 solo tackles.
In 2022, Baker missed the final two games of the season after suffering a fractured shoulder in his team’s Christmas Day loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He started 15 games for Arizona last season, recording 75 solo tackles.
Required reading
(Photo: Ron Chenoy / USA Today)