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Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. — Cardinals safety Budda Baker reported for mandatory minicamp this week but didn’t practice Tuesday while working through a contract situation.
Coach Jonathan Gannon called it “just the business side of it.”
Baker didn’t attend the voluntary portion of the Cardinals’ offseason program after requesting a trade in mid-April.
“It was good to have him in the building today,” Gannon said. “Smile on his face. He was asking a bunch of questions. I told the coaches, you better be on your toes cause he’s going to ask good questions.
“The dialogue has been great, and I’m ready to get [No.] 3 back out there.”
Baker remained engaged, Gannon said, through watching film on his own and staying in contact with coaches. Baker has sent texts and videos of plays to Gannon with questions about what’s supposed to be happening.
However, Gannon was unsure whether Baker will practice Wednesday, the last day of minicamp.
“We’ll see,” Gannon said. “We take it day by day and then make adjustments as we go.”
He wasn’t concerned about Baker not being on the field this offseason as Arizona learned a new defensive scheme.
“It’s really just the verbiage and making sure that he’s in the right spot and doing the right things,” Gannon said. “A couple things, we give all our players one, two, three things, at max, to make sure they’re working on in their game.”
Baker, who is 27 and was named a Pro Bowler in five of his first six seasons, is scheduled to earn $13.1 million this season.
