Cardinals Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker ‘asks for team trade’ as Arizona appears to begin lengthy rebuilding process
- Budda Baker seemingly wants out of the Arizona Cardinals’ rebuilding project
- The Pro-Bowler led the team in tackles last season despite a season-ending injury
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As the Arizona Cardinals ponder the future of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, not to mention possible trades ahead of this month’s NFL Draft, the front office will now deal with another item on their to-do list.
Arizona will now have to decide the future of Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker after asking for a trade from the team on Friday.
The defensive star, still in the prime of his career at the age of 27, has two years left on a contract extension he signed in 2020.
While the last two seasons are not guaranteed, he must pay $13.1 million in 2023 and $14.2 million next season.
Baker had posted a mysterious video tweet on Thursday in which NBA icon Michael Jordan alluded to taking it personally.
Arizona Cardinals star safety Budda Baker has filed for a trade, according to reports
New Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is tasked with rebuilding this team in Arizona
Baker led the Cardinals in tackles despite missing the last two games of the season
The Cardinals defenseman also removed references to the team from his Twitter profile.
On Friday, after reports of his trade demand surfaced, Baker addressed his home fans by tweeting, “Love you cardinal fans!!!”
Since being drafted by Arizona in the second round (No. 36 overall) from Washington in 2017, Baker has been the heart and soul of the Cardinals’ defense.
He posted more than 100 tackles in four of his six seasons and made the Pro Bowl five times, while being named a first-team All-Pro in 2017 and 2020.
No defensive back in the league has had more tackles than Baker since entering the league.
Despite missing Arizona’s final two games last season due to a broken shoulder he suffered in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baker went on a team-high 111 tackles while adding two interceptions and seven passes defensed.
In his six seasons, Baker has produced 650 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, seven interceptions and 7 1/2 sacks in 93 games (83 starts).