One of the most well-known and successful players on the Arizona Cardinals is standout safety Budda Baker.
Throughout his career, Baker has been selected to seven Pro Bowls and has four All-Pro accolades. His performance and football sense have won him respect from colleagues at the facilities and opponents throughout the league, as evidenced by his 901 tackles in eight seasons.
That fondness extends to former Cardinals DB Antrel Rolle, who recently got down with insider Kyle Odegard and provided some hefty compliments.
Budda Baker Earns Massive Respect From Antrel Rolle
“Budda Baker is a flying missile. He’s casual with his body, but it’s not even so much that he’s careless about his body. His heart is just that enormous, and he’s such a tremendous player, that he fears no one. And it shows. Guys like that are the ones you want on your squad. He’s one of the best pickups by the team in the past 10 years, undoubtedly,” Rolle told Odegard.
Coming from a player such as Rolle, that’s some very well deserved words of compliments.
Even when the Cardinals were practically unwatchable, Baker showed up and provided fans something to root for on a weekly basis.
Arizona’s general staff took notice and handled a brief contract stalemate with Baker prior before handing him a three-year, $54 million extension last December – assuring the heart and soul of their defense didn’t touch the free agent market.
Now, entering 2025, an enhanced Cardinals defense can help Baker become even more of a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators.
Baker argues it can be a two-way street in terms of impact:
“As long as I can be in different areas, that messes up the offense’s understanding of where I’m at, but also creates one-on-ones for our defensive lineman,” Baker said earlier this offseason. “As long as we can create one-on-ones and I can do my job at a high level, that’s all the matters.”
This might be one of the most talented teams Baker’s had the luxury of playing on, which has given fans in the desert ample reason for excitement moving into 2025.
“I was drafted here, I know it was a different GM and a different coaching staff, but for me all I’ve been trying to do is do my job at a high level each and every day,” Baker stated on The Mina Kimes Show earlier this summer.
“Of course, I’m a sore loser, I hate losing, and my career with the Cardinals has kind of been more losing than winning.
“But for me it’s just stay ten toes down, you believe in what you believe in, and I believe in this coaching staff, I believe in these players that we brought in, free agency, draft, and very excited for the future.”
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