Pros, Cons of Cardinals Trading Budda Baker

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker may or may not be dealt - but should the team consider it?

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) reacts after a tackle against the Detroit Lions in the first half at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker has been the subject of trade speculation for what feels like an eternity at this point. It's honestly turned into a classic "will they, won't they" relationship we used to see in old sitcoms.

At this point, I think everyone is ready for a decision to be firmly decided one way or the other.

I doubt the fans would be thrilled moving on from Baker, but I also venture to guess that some fans would welcome a change of the guard and the potential bounty they could receive for the All-Pro safety - likely from a championship contender that may be willing to move serious capital for Baker's services.

There's certainly perks and detriments to moving Baker no matter where you stand on the debate. Let's explore each side of the coin...

Positives

• Cards could receive quality compensation

Baker won't fetch a round-one pick. However, Baker is good enough to get more than a fair return value considering he's only 28 years old and can still be a cornerstone for a defense.

• Cards get younger and cheaper in the secondary

Moving on from Baker would be tough initially, but it would allow for the team to continue their youth movement on defense and allow the secondary to continue getting younger and add more talent. Speaking of adding talent...

• Cards open the door for a certain safety in round one of the 2025 NFL Draft

Arizona is headed toward a top-10 draft pick, maybe even better. It should be a forgone conclusion the team will add a difference maker on defense. The hope is for a new pass rusher, but if they wanted to go with the "best player available" route, they could take a superstar safety to replace Baker in Georgia's Malaki Starks.

I imagine the selection of Starks could rub some the wrong way initially given his position, but he would quickly erase those doubters and haters when he walks on the field and is immediately a cornerstone for the defense.

Negatives

• Cards become significantly worse on defense

If you don't think the Cardinals' defense would plummet even further than it already has without Baker, you'd be either hopelessly optimistic and delusional. Baker is the best defensive player by a lot and moving him would significantly hurt an already bad defense.

• Cards move on from an all-timer

As we just mentioned, fans likely wouldn't be happy to move on from Baker (more on that later), but the team would also be moving on from a legitimate all-timer in franchise history. Baker is tied with Dan Dierdorf for the most Pro Bowls in franchise history with six (and counting). Baker is also sixth all-time in solo tackles at 552.

A criminally underrated player in his time in the desert, it would be a difficult decision to move a player of Baker's caliber.

• Cards fans could quit on the team for the season in protest

Like we said, the fans would likely be upset with this decision, and that's putting it lightly. Fans didn't take the decision to trade Anquan Boldin very well and I can't imagine this would go much better.

While the Cards aren't contenders the way they were when they shipped off Boldin to Baltimore, you're still talking about trading a fan favorite - that could cause fans to protest the team and give up watching games.