The NFL trade deadline is over a month away, as it’s set for November 10. Before then, the Arizona Cardinals could try to make some moves.
One particular player has been named as Arizona’s top trade asset leading up to that deadline.
Budda Baker Named Top Trade Candidate for Arizona Cardinals
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report listed the top trade candidate for each team in the league, and for the Cardinals, the pick was veteran safety Budda Baker.
Baker is an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro who has played his entire career with the Cardinals since they drafted him in the second round (36th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. He’s established himself as one of the best defenders in franchise history over the course of his career.
However, if the Cardinals no longer view him as a piece of the puzzle moving forward, they might want to recoup some value for him while they still can. They could also open up some serious cap space by moving on from Baker. Given his experience and skill set, there would likely be several teams interested in adding him via trade to bolster their secondary.
“Safety Budda Baker, however, probably doesn’t have a lengthy future in Arizona. The 30-year-old is still a starting-caliber safety, but he looms as a likely 2027 cap casualty,” Knox wrote.
“The Cardinals could save $17.9 million in cap space by trading or releasing Baker in the offseason. With consecutive losses making a 2026 run seem unlikely, Arizona should start weighing Baker’s value as a trade chip.”
So far this season, Baker has recorded 20 combined tackles, 2 QB hits, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 pass defended.
Budda Baker Itching to Experience Winning at a High Level
Baker loves being a Cardinal, but he’s also itching for success, which he hasn’t experienced much of during his time in Arizona. Over his nine seasons in the league, Baker has played in exactly one playoff game. For a guy who is desperate to win at a high level, that doesn’t quite cut it.
“For me, since my rookie year, there’s been a sense of urgency that I wanted to get into the playoffs,” Baker said during training camp in July. “. . . For me, the clock is always ticking. I’m just a sore loser at heart. No matter what, I’m trying to win games.”
Perhaps Baker would be open to the idea of a trade, and maybe even embrace one, if it meant going somewhere that would give him a better chance of playing in the postseason.
Eight-Time Pro Bowler Named Top Trade Candidate for Arizona Cardinals