Pros and Cons of Lions Trading for S Budda Baker

Read more on the pros and cons of the Detroit Lions trading for Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker.

This offseason, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes has made it a goal of his to upgrade the team's secondary. He's done a solid job of accomplishing just that so far, too, adding defensive backs C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley and Cam Sutton through free agency.

Yet, Gardner-Johnson is the only one of the three aforementioned defensive backs that is expected to contribute at safety this upcoming season.

Now, in Holmes' defense, the safety position, with the existing presence of Kerby Joseph and Tracy Walker III, wasn't as big of a need as cornerback going into the offseason. However, it still wouldn't hurt for Detroit's front office to add an additional reinforcement to the safeties room before the end of the offseason.

If Holmes & Co. want to add a high-impact player to the position group, the Arizona Cardinals' Budda Baker would be just what the doctor ordered. 

Baker, a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection, has reportedly requested a trade from the Cardinals organization, per ESPN. 

Cardinals’ Pro-Bowl safety Budda Baker now has requested that Arizona trade him, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 14, 2023

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound safety, who was a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, has spent his entire career in Arizona.

In six seasons and 93 total games with the Cardinals, he has logged 650 total tackles, including 32 for loss. He's also amassed 34 passes defensed, 15 quarterback hits, 7.5 sacks, seven interceptions and six forced fumbles.

Additionally, in 15 games this past season, Baker recorded 111 combined tackles, as well as seven passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble. For his efforts, he earned a 73.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, including an 80.2 run defense grade and a 69.1 mark in pass coverage.

Baker is a versatile safety who is well-equipped to play against the run and even the pass. He also will enter the 2023 season at just 27 years old, so he's still considered to be in the prime of his career. 

And, there's no doubt he'd be a valuable asset in Detroit's secondary.

Yet, he's also due to make $13.096 million and $14.2M, respectively, the next two seasons, and would likely cost a premium package of draft capital from the Lions.

I have a strong inclination that Holmes is opposed to parting with such a package of assets, and it's why I believe that Baker won't be ending up in the Motor City anytime soon.