The Detroit Lions are in the market to add a defensive back. Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals are sitting at 1-4, and they just traded big-name wide receiver Marvin Harrison. So, the Lions could end up being a strong fit to trade for Cardinals safety Budda Baker, according to Christian Booher of Lions OnSI.
Booher projects a fourth-round pick as the value that could get a deal done.
“This is the best estimate for what it may take for Detroit to land Baker straight up,” wrote Booher. “Because he’s on the older side, as well as the money he’s still due, the asking price may not be super high even with all the accolades he’s accumulated throughout his career.”
Booher also noted that a couple of pick exchanges that amount to a similar price could be worth a trade. He also noted a more far-fetched offer that includes Sam LaPorta going out, and Josh Sweat joining Baker on the Lions. Most likely, a fourth-round pick is the cost to get a deal done.
Detroit Lions Could Trade for Budda Baker
Baker is in his tenth NFL season, all of it with the Cardinals. The former 36th overall pick has made eight Pro Bowls. He was a first-team All-Pro twice and a second-team All-Pro twice.
In total, he has 133 starts and 1,057 career tackles. Baker signed a four-year, $59M contract after his initial rookie contract. Now, he is currently signed to a three-year, $54M deal. Baker is signed through the 2027 season. However, the Cardinals or the acquiring team could let go of him and save $17M in cap space.
For the Cardinals, they will likely either release him or trade him this offseason. At that point, it would be for less than what they would get right now. The acquiring team gets a long look at him this year. Then, they can make a better decision on whether to keep him in the offseason. For a fourth-round pick, a half-season rental is not an awful price.
Lions Need Secondary Help
Whether it be a cornerback or safety, the Lions could use help in the secondary. Adding a player like Baker is impactful for the whole group due to his veteran pressence.
The Lions are also expected to get Brian Branch back after the bye week. Whether it be Branch and Baker, or Branch and Keith Abney, the Lions are expected to have some new starters in Week 7.
Abney started in Week 5, but had been out of the picture from Weeks 2 through 4. The rookie fifth-round pick was a cornerback in college. So, replacing him with Baker would make sense. However, if they cannot do it, they seem to be high on Abney, who has changed positions on the fly.
Detroit also has Kerby Joseph, but he is coming back from a knee injury. The team has no real timeline on his potential return.
Lions Urged to Trade for 8-Time Pro Bowl Safety During Bye Week