The Atlanta Falcons have made a commitment to the safety position that is rather rare in today's NFL. They executed a gigantic splash with the signing safety Jessie Bates III away from the Bengals, and they already employed recent young premium NFL Draft pick Richie Grant.
Nevertheless, the possible availability of Budda Baker, who has officially asked for a trade in order to escape the Cardinals, has Falcons watchers buzzing with hypothetical ideas.
Before we dig into a pair of concepts, a foundational note: We believe Baker wants more than just an exit from Arizona; it's a good bet that Baker also wants to be the highest-paid safety in the game, as his present 2023 salary of $14.75 million currently ranks him sixth.
The truth is, Bates was just signed by Atlanta for a deal that pays him $16 million APY. So ... Atlanta would trade for Baker and then pay him more than Bates? And employ TWO safeties making $16 million? That's not real-life.
But for the exercise, let's pretend it's not about money, but rather about contention - and Falcons fans surely look at the field in the NFC South and see that possibility. So what would a trade for the five-time Pro Bowler look like?
A USAToday suggested trade package would be made up of a 2023 second-round pick, a 2024 third-round pick and Grant heading to Arizona. Arizona may find itself a bit over a barrel in talks like these; the Cardinals might find themselves a bit "over the barrel'' in continuing to pay stars who make a lot of money but who don't want to be there (receiver DeAndre Hopkins is in the same situation.)
The Falcons would, in this scenario, now employ the best safety duo in the league while still retaining their first-round pick (No. 8 overall). Those two aspects of this idea are viable. But alas, paying $32 million annually to a pair of safeties is the third aspect of this idea ... and it would be a struggle, cap-wise, to justify.
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