When a team has a star player that has provided a great amount of value, it is important for the general manager to do whatever they can to make sure that the star is happy and gets a contract that they are worth. When it comes to the safety position, there are stars across the league but it is not the most important position on the field. Teams are able to have success in the secondary without a star safety, but the ones that are near the top of the league play an important role in a defense.
Budda Baker has been arguably the most important Arizona Cardinals player on the defense since he was drafted in 2017. He has made the Pro Bowl all but one year and earned two First-Team All-Pro honors with the Cardinals. In addition, Baker is still in the prime of his career and has many great years left before he can no longer perform at a high level.
He is a star that does not get a lot of recognition just because the Cardinals have not had a lot of success outside of 2021. As Baker heads into a contract year with the Cardinals, it is very important for Monti Ossenfort and the front office to make a big decision on Baker’s future in Arizona. As of right now, the two highest paid safeties according to overthecap.com is Antoine Winfield Jr. ($84 million over four years with $45 million guaranteed) and Derwin James ($76 million over four years with $38.5 million guarenteed).
Baker is only 28 years old and will more than likely earn one more big contract, whether it is from the Cardinals are elsewhere. Depending on what Baker wants to accomplish in his career as he starts to approach the second half of it, it is possible that Baker walks in free agency to join a team that is not in a rebuild. However, the Cardinals could show their support and belief in Baker by offering him a deal to keep his talents and leadership in Arizona. When looking at the contracts that Winfield and James have as the highest paid safeties, there is a real chance that Baker could become one of or the highest paid safeties as well.
Whether Baker re-signs with the Cardinals or signs with another team, NFL fans can expect Baker to get a great size contract that puts him among one of the top safeties in the league in terms of pay.