Budda Baker’s contract situation is one of the underrated storylines for the Arizona Cardinals in the second week of training camp. The six-time Pro Bowl and two-time First Team All-Pro safety is set to hit free agency after the season, assuming no extension is signed. Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort came on Wolf and Luke on Arizona Sports radio and was asked by Luke Lapinski if there’s an extra sense of urgency to get a deal done before March.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“I think that’s a case-by-case basis on how that goes. We’ve had discussions with Budda the past couple years. We’re happy that we have Budda, and we’ll see what means going forward. Budda represents everything that we want this team about and we’re excited to see how it goes right now.”
Baker didn’t reveal anything about the negotiations when asked about that on Friday, as his focus is controlling what we can control, playing great football, and winning games this season. Between that and the nonanswer given by Ossenfort, it sounds like there isn’t much of a likelihood an extension gets done before the season starts. The Cardinals star safety isn’t worried about his contract status, believing that if he does well that things will fall into place.
Given the importance of the season, not only for Baker but the Cardinals, he addressed the team the night before the first practice off the cuff. He describes himself as a sore loser, that he does not like to lose. That was on display in a fiery postgame speech that aired on Hard Knocks during the 2022 season following a 20-17 loss to the eventual NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles. It’s that type of passion and leadership that has earned him team captain status in each of the previous four seasons.
“Budda’s attitude has been fantastic ever since we got here,” said Ossenfort. “The way that he leads, the way he prepares, the way he goes about his business. It really shone on the first night of our first meeting, when he addressed the entire team, and put his sentiments out there. It was a great message for the team, great message for everybody in the room.”
That echoed similar sentiments from what head coach Jonathan Gannon said in the media presser before the first practice.
“He’s everything we’re about. He practices the right way, he prepares the right way. You should hear him in meetings. He asks a ton of questions when he knows the answer, but he’s probably asking the question because his buddy doesn’t want to ask the question. He’s a phenomenal person and a phenomenal player, so I’m glad 3 is with us and he’s going to play a big part of what we do this season.”
A strong season by Baker will not only be good for the Cardinals, but also likely for his pocket book as well. If the two sides cannot work out a deal before the season, the franchise tag is an option to keep him in Arizona for 2025, and possibly beyond.
Budda Baker doesn’t give update on contract negotiations with Cardinals
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
