The Buffalo Bills made one of the bigger moves ahead of the trade deadline on Tuesday, as they picked up safety Amani Hooker in a deal with the Tennessee Titans that saw them part with second- and fifth-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. Hooker will immediately upgrade the Bills’ secondary, but he wasn’t the team’s top target at the safety position ahead of the deadline.
That would have been Arizona Cardinals‘ star safety Budda Baker, who the Bills made a big push for before ultimately pivoting to Hooker. It has previously been reported that Buffalo wanted Baker before settling on Hooker, but in the wake of the deadline passing, one insider provided some new details on the team’s pursuit of the eight-time Pro Bowler that will surely catch fans’ attention.
Bills Were ‘Dying’ to Make Budda Baker Trade
By acquiring Hooker, Buffalo is making a serious upgrade at the back end of its secondary that it has clearly needed. Hooker is a ballhawk at the safety position who is currently leading the NFL with five interceptions, and he will immediately come in and shore up arguably the team’s biggest position of weakness.
And yet, for as good a player as Hooker is, it’s clear that Baker is on another level. Baker has been a Pro Bowler in all but one of his seasons in the pros, and he appears to be well on his way to earning another selection, even as the Cardinals labor through another rough season. In nine games, Baker has racked up 62 tackles, 3.5 sacks (which is already a career-high), one interception, four pass breakups, and one forced fumble.
Buffalo is all in on winning a Super Bowl this season, so it should come as no surprise that it wanted to make a big move at the trade deadline. Acquiring Hooker certainly falls in that category, but according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Bills badly wanted to make a deal for Baker, but the Cardinals were unwilling to part with him in what is being viewed as a rather confusing development.
“Buffalo was dying to get Budda Baker,” Schultz revealed on “Chris Simms Unbuttoned.” “They pivoted and got a really good player in Amani Hooker, and I know they’re happy about that. But Budda Baker to the Bills was the one move that I thought really could have happened, probably should have, and simply did not come together.”
Did Bills Come Up Short by Settling for Amani Hooker Trade?
The Cardinals are clearly rebuilding, so it’s fair to wonder why they wouldn’t flip Baker if they had a big trade offer on the table from the Bills (which they reportedly did). There’s no harm in admitting that Baker is a better player than Hooker, and yet, Buffalo’s front office has to be commended for moving from Arizona and getting a deal done for a player who is still very good.
Hooker will undoubtedly improve this team, so while missing out on Baker hurts, landing the former Titans defensive back is about as good of a secondary outcome as the team could have hoped for. Hooker will look to make an immediate impact for the Bills when they return to action in Week 10 for their upcoming divisional matchup against the New York Jets.
Insider Shares New Details on Bills’ Budda Baker Trade Pursuit