Commanders Can Solidify Defense With $59 Million NFL All-Pro

The Washington Commanders have a chance to not only have their first winning season since 2016, but even — gasp! — to win their first playoff game since 2005.

It’s likely they won’t be able to do it without a little help, which might mean making a move before the Nov. 5 trade deadline and making sure that move includes an impact player.

While the 4-1 Commanders might be in the conversation to make a big move to obtain a player like Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams via trade, a more practical move might be in obtaining help on the defensive side of the ball in the form of a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for 3-time NFL All-Pro safety Budda Baker.

Baker is in the final year of a 4-year, $59 million contract extension he signed before the 2020 season and would cost the Commanders $7.1 million if they made a deal for him at the deadline.

“(Baker) remains a Top 20 safety in all of football according to PFF, so there will be plenty of interest from a football standpoint,” Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti wrote on October 3. But his deadline salary is on the higher side for most contending teams to swallow. The Cardinals may be inclined to take on salary and buy themselves a draft pick as they continue to rebuild around Kyler Murray.”

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Baker Longtime Subject of Trade Rumors

Baker was part of one of the greatest high school football teams of all time at Bellevue (Wash.) High School before staying close to home to play for the University of Washington, where he was an All-American and 2-time All-Pac-12 pick before the Cardinals selected him in the second round (No. 36 overall) of the 2017 NFL draft.

Baker has been one of the NFL’s best safeties for the better part of the last decade and a 3-time NFL All-Pro and 6-time Pro Bowler. He’s also been the subject of trade rumors for the last 2 years — since the Cardinals refused to give him a raise that made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid safeties and Baker responded by requesting a trade.

Baker made his 100th career start for the Cardinals in a Week 5 win over the San Francisco 49ers on October 6 and was nonchalant in addressing the trade speculation that constantly surrounds him.

“I don’t really see any of that (trade) type of stuff,” Baker told The Arizona Republic’s Bob McManaman before the 49ers game. “Me, I’m just focused on San Fran, just focused on the game ahead. If that happens, (general manager) Monti (Ossenfort) will hopefully let me know, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

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Commanders Struggling to Defend the Pass

While the better move would be to add Adams via trade, if the mercurial wide receiver isn’t amenable to coming to Washington it’s still important to add a star player — something to show that internally and externally the franchise is ready to do what it takes (and spend money) to win.

Their secondary could still use some help. Through 5 games the Commanders have given up an NFL-leading 11 passing touchdowns.

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