B/R Predicts Cardinals Trade Budda Baker
When it comes to Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker, the expectation around the Valley is the All-Pro stays with the team.
With two years left on his contract and no more guaranteed money, the Cardinals are currently in negotiations with Baker and his camp after a public trade request from Arizona's cornerstone on the defensive side of the ball.
Baker was at the facility for mandatory minicamp and is expected to appear at training camp, though he's still very much seeking that new deal. Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said back at minicamp the two sides were engaged in talks, and though nothing has come to fruition just yet, it feels more likely than not that Baker remains in the desert.
Yet that hasn't silenced all of the noise surrounding Baker's future.
It's unlikely Baker is able to compete for a Super Bowl in the near future with the Cardinals, spurring plenty of trade speculation with contenders looking for one final piece to the puzzle.
In a recent bold prediction article, Bleacher Report pegged Baker to the Minnesota Vikings:
"Budda Baker has already made it clear that something has to change in his situation with the Arizona Cardinals. He wants to be the highest-paid safety or a change of scenery, per ESPN's Adam Schefter," wrote Maurice Moton.
"In Year 1 under a new regime, the Cardinals may opt to trade Baker rather than pay top dollar for a player at a low premium position. Keep in mind that the club outright released three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in May.
"Baker attended but didn't participate in mandatory minicamp practices while working 'through some things' related to his contract. Potentially on his way out of Arizona, he could draw interest from a playoff-caliber squad.
"Even though the Minnesota Vikings are at a contract impasse with defensive end Danielle Hunter, Baker may not want to reset the safety market with a viable contender (based on the wording in Schefter's report). Perhaps the Vikings can satisfy Hunter and Baker with short-term pay raises; they have $18 million in cap space.
"In the early weeks of training camp, Minnesota may not see enough out of second-year safety Lewis Cine, who's coming off a compound leg fracture that required surgery, to trust him in a starting role. As a solution to bolster a pass defense that gave up the second-most yards last year, the Vikings could make an attempt to acquire Baker."
Quite the bold prediction, especially considering one NFL executive recently told ESPN they couldn't imagine the Cardinals trading him.
"That guy won't be going anywhere. That's the last guy you trade. A true difference-maker," they said.
You never know in the NFL - though it's hard to imagine Baker playing in another uniform.
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