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After the Denver Broncos spent the most money in free agency, there’s a chance that they could still make another big splash according to a certain NFL insider.
On April 14, Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker requested a trade, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks that the Broncos should trade for the 27-year-old All-Pro.
“So, if I’m, say, the Broncos, with Vance Joseph there, and I have a young receiver to spare for a team that might need one post–DeAndre Hopkins, would I think about it? I sure would.”
There might be some speculation that Baker could start to decline in his play, but according people Breer has talked to, that isn’t the case.
“He’s still that guy,” says one assistant coach who’s worked with him. “He’s the leader of all leaders. I’d stand on the table for 10 times over for a guy like Budda, and what he brings to a locker room, classroom, to practice and then you see the way he plays. He’s not changing his style on any of that, it’s who he is, it’s what makes him special. If I had a chance to get him, I’d get him in a heartbeat.”
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Baker wants to be paid like a top safety in the NFL.
With two years remaining on his current deal, Baker is scheduled to have a $16.8 million cap hit in 2023 and a $17.9 million cap hit in 2024.
What Would a Trade Cost?
Breer spoke to an NFC executive and received an idea of what the price tag could be to trade for Baker.
“There’s minimal trade precedent at the position; the Jamal Adams trade to Seattle and Minkah Fitzpatrick trade to Pittsburgh are most applicable, both involved 1s [draft picks]. But both players were younger and under contract. You’d think, given the contract issue and positional value, scheme fit, it’d be a second or third for him.”
In 2020, Adams was traded away along with a fourth-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and safety Bradley McDougald.
One year earlier, the Miami Dolphins traded away Fitzpatrick, a fourth-round pick, and a seventh-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a first-round pick, fifth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick.
Denver on the other hand does not own picks in the first two rounds of this year’s NFL Draft because of their trade for quarterback Russell Wilson.
The Broncos only have five draft picks between the third and sixth-round.
Broncos Could Have an Emerging Star
Last season, Denver had one of the better safety duos in the NFL with All-Pro safety Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson playing opposite.
So far, the Broncos have not signed a safety in free agency to replace Jackson after his previous four seasons in Denver.
According to James Palmer of the NFL Network, the Broncos have big plans for Caden Sterns as he enters his third season in the NFL.
“Vance Joseph (defensive coordinator) and his staff love this guy,” Palmer said. “He is versatile, he is extremely intelligent, he’s got excellent ball skills. They have big big plans, I am told, for Caden Sterns back there with Pat Surtain and Justin Simmons.”
Sterns has only started in five games for the Broncos, but has made plays when he’s been on the field. Over the past two seasons, Sterns ranks third behind only Simmons and Surtain in interceptions with four.
The former Texas Longhorn has sacked the quarterbacks twice in his career and has totaled up 49 tackles including two for a loss.
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