Cardinals GM Says They’ve Had ‘Productive Conversations’ With Budda Baker Following Trade Request

Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said they’ve had “productive conversations” with S Budda Baker‘s representation following his recent trade request. 

“I’d say myself, JG [coach Jonathan Gannon], we’ve had a lot of conversations with Budda and his representation. A lot of productive conversations, and those continue to happen,” Ossenfort, via Bo Brack of PHNX_Cardinals. “I understand that Budda went public with his request last week. I would say that the conversations that I’ve had with Budda, I want those to remain between Budda and I. Those are personal. Those are private. I’m not going to get into a situation where I’m handling one of those situations in the public forum, so I hope you guys appreciate kind of that.”

Last week, Baker reportedly requested a trade from Arizona after informing the organization back in February that he wanted to receive a new deal that would make him the highest-paid safety in the NFL or be traded. 

According to Jeremy Fowler, Baker has “long been unhappy with his situation.”

Baker currently has two years left on his deal, which includes non-guaranteed base salaries of $13,096,359 in 2023 and $14.2 million in 2024.

Baker, 27, was drafted by the Cardinals in the second round out of Washington in 2017. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $6.829 million rookie deal and was set to make a base salary of $1.39 million in 2020 when he agreed to a new four-year, $59 million extension with Arizona. 

Baker is set to make a base salary of $14.2 million for the 2023 season. 

In 2022, Baker appeared in 15 games for the Cardinals and recorded 111 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, two interceptions and seven pass deflections.

We’ll have more regarding Baker as the news is available.