Cardinals safety Budda Baker made it clear this offseason he wasn’t happy with his contract. He asked for a trade and skipped voluntary work with the team.
Baker, though, reported to training camp and practiced the first day, a day before he received $2.4 million in bonuses and incentives for the 2023 season and a new $300,000 signing bonus. He said Friday he is “all in.”
“I was letting the outside noise be the outside noise, kind of laughing at it here and there,” Baker said of his weird offseason, via Darren Urban of the team website. “Getting some smiles, getting some laughs out of it, but understanding if I put my head down and grind, everything else takes care of itself.”
Baker said he had “tunnel vision” while letting his agent work on his contract details this offseason.
He still is scheduled for free agency in 2025.
Baker said he “of course” wants to stay with the Cardinals long term.
“I love Arizona, and I love Arizona fans,” Baker said.
Despite five Pro Bowls, Baker understands this is a year-to-year business. What have you done for me lately?
“If I’m not playing up to par, you’re not going to play in this league,” said Baker, who missed two games last season with a fractured shoulder. “Understanding that and knowing that, is something, that’s why I put my head down. I understand this is a business. Yeah I’ve been drafted here and yeah I’m blessed to be in Arizona but if I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing, I wouldn’t be playing.”
