Budda Baker’s long-term future with the Arizona Cardinals has been a significant query mark for greater than a yr given commerce hypothesis and his pending standing as an unrestricted free agent.
There isn’t any longer a query.
He’s a Cardinal for the foreseeable future.
Baker and the Cardinals agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract extension on Tuesday that features $30 million in ensures.
Baker has spent all eight years of his profession in Arizona and is not solely one of many league’s prime safeties, however he has additionally turn into the spine of the Cardinals protection and one of many workforce’s greatest leaders.
He has not produced huge turnover numbers this season and hasn’t intercepted a move because the 2022 season, however he stays a key a part of the Cardinals’ rebuild.
Although the Cardinals’ postseason probabilities have taken an enormous hit over the previous couple of weeks, their 7-7 document and the very fact they’re nonetheless alive within the playoff race is an enormous step ahead from their 4-13 document in the course of the 2023 season.
With two extra wins, they might clinch their first successful season since 2021 and solely their second because the 2015 season.
Maintaining the 28-year-old Baker is an enormous funding and definitely improves the short-term outlook for the protection and the workforce.