It's a tale as old as time: The Arizona Cardinals don't receive the national recognition that they deserve. Well, the newest iteration has just happened.
In a recent article, CBS Sports analyst Pete Prisco published his annual list of the top 100 players in the NFL. One Arizona Cardinals star was notably left off of the list.
Cardinals safety Budda Baker disrespected in latest rankings
Budda Baker has quietly been one of the best defenders in the NFL over the last decade. Since the Arizona Cardinals took him in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Baker has racked up almost 700 tackles, seven interceptions, and seven forced fumbles. He's made five All-Pro teams and seven Pro Bowl teams in his eight seasons.
Baker might be better at closing in on ball carriers than any other safety in the league. He's the heartbeat of a Cardinals' defense that has punched above its weight in recent years.
Still, he doesn't receive the national recognition that he deserves. Baker failed to make an appearance on Pete Prisco's top 100 players list this season.
One Arizona Cardinals did make the list. After a breakout season, tight end Trey McBride earned the 42nd spot on Prisco's list. McBride finished second in the NFL among tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards last season. He only scored two touchdowns, but he established himself as one of the league's elite tight ends. McBride is absolutely deserving of his spot on this list.
But there's a real argument to be made that Budda Baker does more for the Cardinals' defense than Trey McBride does for their offense. Baker has led the team in tackles in two of the last three seasons. In 2024, he was one of the primary reasons that the Cardinals' defense wasn't the disaster that its talent level indicated it should have been.
When you look at a few of the players that made the list over Baker, his absence stings a little bit more. Of course, every player considered for a list like this is exceptional. But what is the argument for placing Travis Kelce, Jordan Love, and Derwin James above Budda Baker? All three of those players were less productive than Baker at their respective positions. I struggle to find any reason other than name recognition to rank them above the Cardinals star.
This isn't the first time this offseason that an Arizona Cardinals player has been disrespected in a league-spanning ranking. As is the case with all the others, it'll be up to Baker to prove the doubters wrong this season.