The Arizona Cardinals find themselves in a situation where one of their best and most popular players — safety Budda Baker — has requested a trade.
Baker is still in the prime of his career at 27 years old. He has two years remaining on his contract, although no none of it is guaranteed.
The Cardinals don’t have to trade him, but if they were to do so, what could they get for him?
Let’s look at a few trades for safeties in the past few seasons.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Many bad comps for Budda Baker trade
A number of safeties who were starters but never had any sort of awards or honors previously have been traded. They have not netted much on the trade market. Because Baker is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro and is only 27 years old, these are not good comps for a trade for Baker.
- Chauncey Gardner-Johnson: The Eagles acquired him last year from the Saints with a 2025 seventh-round pick for a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick.
- Chuck Clark: He was traded this offseason from the Ravens to the Jets for a 2024 seventh-round pick.
- Quandre Diggs: He is now a three-time Pro Bowler but had not been selected prior to the trade. He was traded from the Lions to the Seahawks in 2020 along with a 2021 seventh-round pick for a 2020 fifth-round pick.
- Haha Clinton-Dix: He was dealt from Green Bay to Washington in 2018 for a 2019 fourth-round pick.
We should look at two deals to determine what the Cardinals can get.
Jamal Adams trade
After Adams was selected to the Pro Bowl twice and named a first-team All-Pro once for the New York Jets, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks June 2020.
The Jets sent the Seahawks Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick. The Seahawks sent the Jets a 2021 first-round pick, 2021 third-round pick, 2022 first-round pick and safety Bradley McDougald.
It was a lot.
Minkah Fitzpatrick trade
Fitzpatrick was traded from the Miami Dolphins to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. He had not yet been to a Pro Bowl but was on his way to being selected to the Pro Bowl and named an All-Pro that year.
In the deal, the Dolphins sent Fitzpatrick, a 2020 fourth-round pick and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Steelers.
The Steelers sent the Dolphins a 2020 first-round pick, a 2020 fifth-round pick and 2021 sixth-round pick.
What is reasonable for Baker?
Baker is on a more expensive contract but is more decorated than either Adams or Fitzpatrick were at the time of their trades.
If the Cardinals are going to trade him, they should be able to net at least a first-round pick.
This year’s safety class in the 2023 draft is very thin.
Could the Cardinals get a first now and a third in 2024?
It seems like a reasonable deal for an impact defender who is durable, practices hard and is fantastic in the locker room.
