Cardinals Awards: Budda Baker Wins Defensive Player of the Year

The Arizona Cardinals' defense delivered a major overperformance in 2024. While the unit was understandably expected to sit amongst the league's worst, defensive coordinator Nick Rallis engineered a surprisingly dominant squad.

Paramount to that squad, and the overperformance thereof, was standout veteran safety Budda Baker. Baker, who had a bit of a down year in 2023 (then again, who on that defense didn't?), came back in a major way in 2024, and was a critical contributor on the defensive side.

Therefore, the veteran will take home Arizona Cardinals On SI's Defensive Player of the Year Award.

(We already released our picks for Offensive Rookie and Defensive Rookie of the Year - which you can click on the respective awards to read)

A large portion of his excellent 2024 performance came due to his health. The franchise safety started all 17 games for the Cardinals. That consistency is crucial, as is his high motor and leadership.

On the field, Baker was a weapon. He recorded a monstrous 164 total tackles (95 solo) and two sacks. He recorded 10 TFLs, five PBUs and forced a fumble.

Those 164 total tackles were the second-most amongst NFL players in 2024, coming in just behind Colts LB Zaire Franklin with 173.

In fact, Baker was the only safety in the top eight tackle-producers. The only other safety in the top 10 was Colts safety Nick Cross.

PFF awarded Baker a 77.8 overall grade over a massive 1,064-snap season. And those numbers earned him a big payday.

While many might have assumed Baker would walk in free agency following the 2024 season, his high level of play and importance to the locker room clearly stood out to general manager Monti Ossenfort.

Mid season, Ossenfort signed Baker to a three-year, $54 million contract to continue to lead Arizona's defense in the coming seasons. While Baker will surpass the age-30 mark during this contract, his 2024 surge does suggest that he's not particularly close to much age-related regression.

While Baker might not be the most coverage-focused safety in the league, his speed, football IQ and ability to wrap up in the open field are just some of the things that make him invaluable to this Cardinals squad.

Pair that with his veteran savvy and leadership skills, and you have a true defensive anchor on a unit that's relied heavily on young player development.

Baker is a guy that Rallis and head coach Jonathan Gannon want to stick around--and thanks to his excellent play, he will.