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Budda Baker, Cardinals Agree to Three-Year, $54 Million Contract Extension

The Arizona Cardinals and safety Budda Baker have agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract extension with $30 million guaranteed. This deal keeps Baker with Arizona until the 2027 National Football League season.

The $18 million annual average of Baker’s new contract makes him the second-highest-paid free safety in the league, behind Antoine Winfield Jr. Meanwhile, the total value is $5 million less than his current contract.

Baker has become one of the league’s top defensive backs after the Cardinals selected him in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. As of the 2023 season, he has six Pro Bowl selections, including five consecutive nods from 2019 to 2023. The free safety from Washington is also a First Team All-Pro member for the 2017 and 2020 seasons. Baker also has a 2021 Second-Team All-Pro selection.

The Cardinals signed him to a four-year, $6.8 million rookie contract. However, he instantly proved his worth after becoming a First-Team All-Pro member in 2017. Baker earned two more All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowl nods under his rookie deal.

Those achievements made it easier for the Cardinals to reward him with a four-year, $59 million extension before the 2020 season. Under that deal, Baker had one Second-Team All-Pro and three more Pro Bowl selections.

Through Week 15 of the 2024 season, Baker has 879 tackles, 37 passes defended, 9.5 sacks, seven interceptions, and six forced fumbles. In 2019, he led the league in solo tackles with 104. Meanwhile, he scored his only NFL touchdown off a fumble recovery in 2018.

-Lance Fernandez

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