5 absolute best trades in the history of the Arizona Cardinals
By Sion Fawkes
Rights to select Budda Baker (2017)
In April of 2017, the Cardinals traded up with the Chicago Bears to notch Budda Baker, and he has since become one of the era’s best players at his position. Just now hitting his prime, Baker is improving with age, having notched three interceptions for 101 return yards in 2021, both career-highs.
Baker is that classic “built like a corner, but tackles like a linebacker” type of safety. In 2019, he logged 147 combined tackles and was seemingly everywhere on the field. He followed it up with an encore performance in 2020, recording 118 combined and earned First-Team All-Pro honors.
He took Second-Team Honors in 2021, and so far in his budding career, Baker has landed four trips to the Pro Bowl. Expect Baker to remain an integral part of the Cardinals’ defense for years to come as they try to build off their Super Wild-Card Weekend appearance in 2021.