Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker is having another fantastic season ahead of his impending free agency, and ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported there is a real chance he does not hit the open market.
The people I’ve talked to believe there’s a realistic chance Baker and the Cardinals can reach a deal before free agency. Baker prioritizes winning, so if he believes he can win big in Arizona, staying there is a viable option. The Cardinals have shown encouraging signs in recent weeks. Baker is also about his business, as he showed with an April 2023 trade request. So the Cardinals would have to pay up for a 28-year-old with five consecutive Pro Bowls.
Baker has been with the Cardinals since 2018 and is a regular team captain and Pro Bowl player. He has already reached 100 tackles through 10 games this season, ranked second behind Indianapolis’ Zaire Franklin in that category.
Baker also has seven tackles for loss and three passes defensed this season. He sacked New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Sunday.
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The Cardinals, to Fowler’s point about winning, have already surpassed their win total from 2023 with a 6-4 start. They lead the NFC West going into the bye week with a developing young core around Baker defensively and around quarterback Kyler Murray and running back James Conner on offense. Conner is another locker room leader set to hit free agency next offseason.
Baker will turn 29 years old at the end of this season but has bounced back looking explosive after injury impacted his 2023 output.
The Cardinals are in position to spend, as well, considering they have more cap space ($113.4 million) than any other team in the NFL going into next season except for the New England Patriots, according to Over The Cap.
Baker was ranked No. 22 on ESPN’s list of 2025 free agents, third among safeties.