Cardinals S Budda Baker Expected To Report To Training Camp

Adam Schefter reports that Cardinals S Budda Baker is expected to report to training camp on Tuesday despite requesting a trade and wanting a contract extension. 

Baker’s agent David Mulugheta has noted that his client does not want to reset the safety market and become the highest paid at the position, but wants to be fairly compensated for his work on the field.

Mulugheta adds that if the Cardinals view Baker as a key piece for their franchise going forward, they should want to reward him financially. 

Baker requested a trade earlier this offseason due to unhappiness about his contract and the state of the Cardinals’ franchise entering another rebuilding year. 

However, he reported for minicamp and there was some indication the two sides had made progress on a resolution. 

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. 

He is set to make $14.2 million for the 2023 season and 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.

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 will have more news on Baker as it becomes available.