Budda Baker has been with the Cardinals for six years, becoming a perennial Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. But the standout safety has become dissatisfied with his situation.
The Cardinals have received a Baker trade request, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Baker recently removed Cardinals mentions from his Twitter profile. His most recent post/GIF effectively set the table for this request, with veteran Cardinals reporter Kyle Odegard indicating (via Twitter) it was likely aimed at dissatisfaction with the Cardinals.
Baker, 27, is one of the Cards’ team leaders and is the longest-tenured player on Arizona’s defense. This is not a recent development, per ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss and Jeremy Fowler, who indicate (via Twitter) Baker has been unhappy with the team for much of the offseason. This is a contract-related trade request, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who reports Baker told the Cardinals in February to either trade him or make him the league’s highest-paid safety (Twitter link).
Two seasons remain on Baker’s contract, a $14.75MM-per-year deal he signed in 2020. This coming season represents the first without any guaranteed money on Baker’s second contract. he is tied to base salaries of $13.1MM (2023) and $14.2MM (’24). The former second-round pick has made the Pro Bowl four years running.
In addition to his place as a Cardinals leader, Baker is one of the NFL’s best safeties. He earned first-team All-Pro acclaim in 2020 and collected second-team honors in 2021, helping the Cards to the playoffs largely without the services of J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins. Baker has four 100-plus-tackle seasons on his resume and has intercepted eight passes in the 2020s. Baker secured his extension in August 2020 without having made a single NFL INT. Last season, Baker suffered a high ankle sprain but played through it. His two missed games came in the season’s final two weeks.
The safety market has shifted since Baker signed his four-year, $59MM deal, though most positional markets feature new ceilings compared to the 2020 offseason. Jessie Bates‘ recent Falcons contract bumped Baker down to seventh among safeties this offseason. At the time, however, Baker’s contract made him the NFL’s highest-paid safety. Justin Simmons, Harrison Smith, Jamal Adams, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James preceded Bates in passing him. James raised the AAV bar to nearly $20MM last summer.
Baker’s request comes during another eventful Cardinals offseason. The Cards have hired a new GM and HC (Monti Ossenfort, Jonathan Gannon), moving on from Steve Keim — who drafted Baker six years ago — and Kliff Kingsbury. Former Cardinals safety and veteran exec Adrian Wilson is no longer with the club, either, having left for a Panthers position. The defense has also undergone some changes, losing Watt, Byron Murphy and Zach Allen. Baker contributed to the process that produced the Gannon hire, but his status with the new HC is tenuous.
The Cardinals, who snapped a playoff drought in 2021, are not expected to contend this season. Kyler Murray is not on track to be ready for the start of the season, and the team has made it known Hopkins is available via trade. While the Cardinals are unlikely to seek out a Baker trade, they are exploring ways to add assets — via the Hopkins process or a trade-down maneuver from No. 3 overall — as Ossenfort begins his GM tenure.
Gee, I cannot imagine why he would want out of Arizona…
Screw him. He’s under a contract he gladly signed. Live up to your word
I’d agree with you if AZ wasn’t a sinking ship currently.
“He’s under a contract he gladly signed. Live up to your word”
NFL contracts mean almost literally nothing. Players get cut or restructure their contracts all the time.
“Almost literally nothing.” WTF does that even mean?
I’m still struggling to understand the term “extra virgin olive oil”. Are there actually degrees of virginity?
Just for that, we’re placing you on Double Secret Probation.
I know you’re doing a bit, but I’m going to be “that guy”. The difference is in how they’re made. EV is made pressing olives and then extracting the oil out of them. Regular olive oil just blends and heats the olives, plus adds other oils. Easier to make thus cheaper to buy. Ok, I’m done.
I keep reading how the great majority of olive oil these days is imitation. Complete fakes
Jeez. Can’t count on anything anymore
I hope you have that same energy when a team cuts a player they gladly signed to a contract.
When they get cut, the team has the responsibility to live up to the terms of the contract, just like Baker does. Every team has contracts they are forced to pay off.
I’d love to cut Chandler Jones. But guess what? He has a contract.
No they don’t. Why do you think they cut guys?
What makes it so you think he’s not living up to his word? I don’t see anywhere that he’s attempting to terminate his contract. All he did was request a trade. He hasn’t threatened to sit out or retire; however, he has that leverage if he chooses to use it. Arizona can fine him if he doesn’t show up and withhold salary if he retires. There are options for both sides.
No. He’s under contract so he has to live up to this word?? Tell that to the teams that don’t live up to their word when they release a player!! I don’t blame Baker one bit. He owes them NOTHING. He’s played @ a high level. He just expects the same…and that Front Office isn’t operating at a high level.
Make it happen Raiders
I don’t want any players unwilling to live up to their contractual obligations. What happens next year if safety salaries increase? Do we have to re-write his contract?
Well if he’s playing well enough to deserve a raise…the Raiders will trade him for a 40th rounder….to the Patriots.
This is the way.
And when he doesn’t play well…does he take less money, or give some back?
The team just cuts him
this would be perfect for Philadelphia. Howie go get this done. I would try for a 3rd, but if would most likely cost us the #62 pick at the end of the 2nd round
We don’t have the money to give away for an extension either hence all the departures already…
Howie could work his magic like always. even if hurts signs an extension this off-season that money won’t start until the 2024 season. that would give Howie a year to figure it out. plus I would be willing to bet the baker wouldn’t mind reworking his deal to lower his cap-hit for a chance to play on a Superbowl team that was that close.
You still have to pay him something this year. Even some of the bonus dollars converted from that $20M+ salary will count as they can’t push that lump of cash entirely into future years.
I would love for the Philly GM to be this stupid but he just isn’t.
Another nightmare for Bidwill. Yippee. The more the merrier.
This is just one part of the fallout you get when you cater to one big egotistical QB. When the Cardinals gave into his power play and fired everyone to make Murray happy, they tipped over the first domino that is leading to their downfall. Anytime you have to put a clause in a players (especially a QB) contract that they need to do a certain amount of film work, you know there’s a problem.
I see another top 3 draft choice for the Cardinals in 2024.
Tell him to pound sand. This is why people sign contracts.
You do realize that guys under contract get cut all the time or are asked to take less. If owners can ask for the players to take less, why can’t players ask for more
You bring up a good point. If contracts in the NFL were like rental agreements the majority of us would be moving furniture for free.
The player will get 100% of everything that is guaranteed in the contract, and not a penny less. The player should be under the same requirement.
And they are. If he demands a trade and sits out, he’s not getting paid and in most instances, the club will want the bonus money paid back. Owners and players both manipulate the so called contract. There really is no such thing
He already got his guaranteed money. Did you read the article? There is no more guaranteed dollars, that’s why he wants a new deal. If the NFL wants to move to fully guaranteed contracts, then they could avoid this situation. As long as teams are cutting players before they have paid what they agreed to pay, players will ask for new deals before their current deals expire. I don’t like it either, but this is the way the NFL wants to structure deals so…….
This franchise is an absolute dumpster fire. There won’t be a free agent signing for the next five years there.
How’s that trade demand from DeAndre Hopkins working out?
Why would you want a player around that doesn’t want to be there? Hopkins will probably be moved on draft weekend or shortly after, once teams that missed their WR in the draft start looking for another option.
Dang seems like things are getting pretty bad in Arizona. I almost feel bad for Gannon, but then I remember he gets paid millions of dollars to put up with stuff like this, so I’m sure he will be fine.
I just don’t know why anyone would willingly want to begin their head coaching career in Arizona. You’re almost asking to be fire after 3 seasons, looking for a Coordinator job somewhere, and having to essentially start from scratch to get another opportunity…
The blame clearly starts at the top. Until they get the right people in there, they’ll be hiring a new HC every 3-4 years…
Maybe, they now have the correct people, but it is clearly going to take some time for them to turn this franchise around. Best of luck to their GM and HC, they’re DEFINITELY going to need it.
He’s unhappy with contract he signed, y’all.
He’s exactly what the pats need but I’m sure BB will sit on his hand and save his draft picks for bust or special team guys someone really needs to take power from him he’s killing this franchise
Budda Baker sounds like someone who should be driving in NASCAR.
Tell that to a NASCAR fan and he’ll run you out of the garage pretty quick.
If his name was Bubba Baker perhaps.
Oddly enough, I don’t think Buddhism is too popular amongst the NASCAR crowd.
IDK how to resolve these issues. On the one hand I can feel for the player who could get injured and lose his career. On the other hand he signed a deal and he should honor it. If he wants out he should fulfill his deal and leave if he wants although they can franchise him then also. I guess what I’m saying is if the players don’t like the system change it with the CBA. Give up a few bucks for more freedom to move about. Actually that Franchise Player crap is Medieval anyway. It certainly needs to be looked at in the future at least. It causes more problems than it’s worth. The same way Arbitration makes enemies in baseball. with all the money to spread around you would think somebody smarter than me could figure out something that works for both sides.
That’s about right. It is all about the CBA. But at the end of the day, I’d bet that a whole lot of teams would be glad to sign him on a one-year contract, and likely pay him more.
But Baker wants to get paid more AND Baker wants the security of a long-term contract. Exactly 100%of the population would like that.
I’d like a 10-year contract from my employer, with an opt-out every year just in case salaries go up.
Don’t you already have that? 95% of all employees can quit a job and take a higher paying job in the same day
Yeah but here’s the thing. The rest of the world doesn’t have to work with a Cap. I can feel for the player who loses earning potential because of the Cap. I can also feel for the team who has built Baker into his plan for the next 2 years because he thinks he has him a a set price. Continually trying to figure out a budget when you think you know what you have and then it all goes to crap every year can get quite taxing.
Yeah, but how many employees can afford to go to the next extreme and decide they’re so “unappreciated “ that they’ll sit out until their demands are met, even if it’s the entire season. You see this increasingly in professional sports.
Not only would you have no paycheck coming in but also one heck of a black mark on your resume.
I don’t have a lot of sympathy for billionaire owners but it’s hard to equate what some disgruntled players do with the situation the average working stiff finds himself in
But you can always leave your job
I’d love to see him in Seattle. Revenge.