Budda Baker is staying in Arizona.
Two years ago, the Cardinals safety asked for an extension or to be traded. On Tuesday, he finally got what he wanted. Baker and the Cardinals agreed on a three-year, $50 million extension with $30 million guaranteed, the team announced Wednesday.
The Cardinals drafted Baker as a second-round pick in 2017, and with this new extension, which runs through the 2027 season, it could mean he retires in Arizona.
This is the fourth-largest contract for a safety in league history, at $18 million per year. In 2020, he signed a four-year, $59 million extension, which paid him $14.2 million a year. The 28-year-old has 142 tackles so far this season, the second most of his career and the second most in the NFL. He also has two sacks this year.
This offseason, the three-time All-Pro addressed his contract situation, saying he wasn't putting any extra emphasis on the 2024 season.
"A lot of people think about the money. Some players might think, 'Contract year, I gotta do extra.' I treat every single year like a contract year," Baker said this summer. "For me, I love this game. I play it at a high level each and every week because of the work I put in each and every week. For me, I'm an honest believer in controlling what I can control and do my job. At the end of the day, everything else will take care of itself."
At the end of the day, it did take care of itself for the six-time Pro Bowler.