NFL Trade Rumors: Insider highlights Cardinals’ stance on Budda Baker after star safety hands trade request
Arizona Cardinals star player Budda Baker recently requested a trade from the franchise. After Baker was not offered an improved contract, the safety showed his desire to leave the team.
Baker, who is one of the best safeties in the league, wants to get paid like one or wants to play on a team that can contend next season. The Cardinals will be without Kyler Murray for the majority of next season, which shows that they won't be able to contend.
Ian Rapoport recently broke down Baker's situation in Arizona, and he thinks that the safety won't get traded. Here's what Rapoport said:
"My Understanding is this is something that actually has been going on for the last several months for new general manager Monti Ossenfort for to navigate. Budda Baker wants an adjustment to his contract, wants to be either the highest paid or among the highest paid…"
"I think for the Cardinals it was more of a situation where they're like, this is one of the heartbeats of our defense. He is a great player and a great human, we just don't want to trade him and, you know, Budda Baker is one of the guys that you build around, not try to replace with."
After J.J. Watt retired at the end of last season, the Arizona Cardinals are also expected to lose DeAndre Hopkins in the coming days, and if Baker also ends up leaving, then their team will need to retool.
New head coach Jonathan Gannon has a tough task at his disposal and it would be interesting to see how he will handle the situation ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
From NFL Now: The #AZCardinals have been dealing with a trade request from star Budda Baker for the last few months. He and the team both have very strong (and opposing) views. Buckle up. https://t.co/DVqXCFEvMu
Budda Baker might end up staying in Arizona
In 2020, Baker signed a 4-year $59 million contract extension with the Cardinals. He will be a unrestricted free agent in 2025, but if the franchise gives him a new and improved contract, he might end up staying.
Monti Ossenfort, the new general manager of the franchise, has a lot of tough questions to answer in the coming days and Budda Baker is one of them.
Last season, he had 75 solo tackles, 36 assists, and two interceptions in 15 games. Over the course of his career, Baker has had 468 solo tackles, 182 assists, 7.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries, and seven interceptions in six seasons. Moreover, Baker isn't injured often, which is why keeping him on the team will be a top priority for the Cardinals.
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