There are plenty of rumors linking Budda Baker to the Philadelphia Eagles, but not much substance behind them. Until now. The All-Pro safety apparently loves Nick Sirianni and made sure to let everyone know it.
Baker, a former second-round pick in 2017, told Kay Adams that Sirianni has all the qualities he is looking for in a head coach. It sure sounded like he was ready to book a flight to Philly if the team was willing to bring him in.
“Something that I really like is that Eagles coach,” Baker said. “He’s who he is [Adams says: Nick Sirianni]. Exactly. So, just seeing that is definitely special as a player.”
The five-time Pro Bowler has been flirting with the Eagles for several days following reports that he wants a trade out of Arizona. The asking price appears to be a Round 2 or Round 3 pick, although any team trading for him would have to work out a lucrative contract extension. He currently has two years left on the 4-year, $59 million contract he signed in 2020.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Baker wants to be the highest-paid safety in the NFL. If true, that would put him in the range of Chargers star Derwin James at $19.1 million per year. It seems an unlikely contract for the Eagles to match, especially considering the way they handled the C.J. Gardner-Johnson situation.
Devin White Still Trade Option for Eagles?
The Eagles have been rumored to be in the mix for disgruntled linebacker Devin White this offseason. The 25-year-old requested a trade out of Tampa Bay after negotiations on a long-term contract broke down. He’s “fed up” and wants out, according to reports.
Linebacker is another position of need in Philly due to the losses of Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards in free agency. They could benefit from adding the one-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, something NFL Media’s Bucky Brooks proposed as a potential trade fit.
Despite the Eagles’ reluctance to pay big bucks for off-ball linebackers in the past, they could see White as a key ingredient to a championship-caliber defense. The veteran would give Philly another playmaker to feature as part of a dynamic pressure package under new defensive coordinator Sean Desai. White could add a new dimension to a defense with a deep-and-talented rotation along the front line.
Howie Roseman Talks Process of Building Title Contender
The Eagles were literally three points away from forcing overtime in Super Bowl LVII. It was a tough loss, one the franchise has been trying to forget for more than two months. The journey back to the biggest stage in football will begin at the NFL draft on April 27 as the team looks to plug holes and add impact rookies. The evaluation process started back at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
“I think for right now, all we can do right now is take this process, which is meeting these players,” Roseman told reporters on March 28. “We have two first-round picks. Make sure that we just make good decisions after good decisions, we stack those together, and we’ll end up having a really good team, and we’ll get to camp and try to bring them all together.
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All-Pro Playmaker Makes Strong Plea to Nick Sirianni for Eagles Trade