Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker is heading into the final year of his contract with the organization, and until general manager Monti Ossenfort decides to extend the 27-year-old Pro Bowl defensive back, speculation will exist on Baker's future.
Baker went public with his trade request last offseason in an attempt to get a restructured deal from the organization - which worked - though he now approaches 2024 with no guaranteed money according to OverTheCap.com.
In Bleacher Report's offseason preview, Baker was listed as a top trade target for Baker:
Green Bay Packers
"The Packers are set to build around Love for the foreseeable future. It would behoove them to upgrade the blocking unit in front of him. While trading for veteran linemen might only provide a temporary boost, players on expiring contracts, like Mitch Morse and Garett Bolles, might be available for a bargain price," wrote Kris Knox.
"Green Bay could potentially lose safeties Jonathan Owens, Christian Uphoff and Darnell Savage in free agency this year. Dealing for Arizona safety Budda Baker, who is entering the final year of his contract, could help reload the secondary quickly."
Philadelphia Eagles
"The Eagles should be eager to acquire help in their back seven this offseason. Broncos standout cornerback Patrick Surtain II would help fill at least one of those voids," wrote Knox.
"According to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, the Eagles tried to acquire Surtain before the trade deadline. Surtain, like Cardinals safety Budda Baker, is entering the final year of his contract. Acquiring one of the two would bolster Philadelphia's secondary tremendously."
It is notable that the Eagles were reportedly interested in trading for Baker last offseason before the safety ultimately stayed in Arizona.
Baker previously spoke on his future at the end of the 2023 season, saying he understands there's a business aspect to the league before being asked if he'd like to return to the desert:
"Of course, I definitely can appreciate Monti [Ossenfort] and JG [Jonathan Gannon] they do a great job of [getting] the team just believing. Working and grinding every week. We stay together even when adversity hits - we stay together, there's no finger-pointing," Baker said.
"That's what I love as a player. At the end of the day, we're kind of like a family. As long as we stay together, continue to grind and take it one play at a time, we can be great."
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