One of the Cardinals‘ top players wants out of Arizona.
Saftey Budda Baker requested a trade as he seeks a contract extension, per multiple reports. The three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler gave the Cardinals an ultimatum in February to either make him the highest-paid safety in the NFL or trade him, according to ESPN.
Baker, 27, has been one of the game’s top safeties since the Cardinals drafted him in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He recorded 147 combined tackles in 2019. He had 118 combined tackles, two interceptions and two sacks in 2020. Following a three-interception, 98-tackle campaign in 2021, Baker had 111 tackles and two interceptions in 2022, playing through an ankle injury before missing the final two games of the season due to a shoulder injury.
Baker seemed to say goodbye to Cardinals fans on Twitter.
“Love you cardinal fans!!!” Baker tweeted Friday night.
Baker has two years remaining on the four-year, $59 million contract extension he signed ahead of the 2020 season. However, Baker has no guaranteed money expected to come his way over the final two seasons of his contract.
Baker’s trade request adds to the list of bad storylines surrounding the Cardinals over the last few months. Kyler Murray tore his ACL late in the 2022 season as the team went 4-13, causing head coach Kliff Kingsbury to be fired, while general manager Steve Keim resigned. After the Cardinals hired Jonathan Gannon to be their head coach and Monti Ossenfort to be their general manager, star receiver DeAndre Hopkins emerged in trade rumors as the team reportedly allowed him to seek a trade.
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Off the field, former Cardinals executive Terry McDonough accused his former employer of cheating, discrimination and harassment in an arbitration claim filed to the NFL earlier in April.
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