JUST IN: Elite $59 Million Safety on Expiring Deal Dubbed Packers’ Top blockbuster Trade Target
The Green Bay Packers have a history of engaging in significant trades in recent offseasons, often involving big-name players in exchange for draft assets. However, there is speculation that the team might take a different approach in the upcoming free agency period in March. Instead of parting with assets, they could pursue a known player on a higher-priced deal, albeit one that doesn’t commit them to a pre-negotiated contract beyond 2024.
According to Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department, the top target for the Packers in such a scenario could be Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker. The scouts highlight that Green Bay may face the potential loss of safeties Jonathan Owens, Christian Uphoff, and Darnell Savage in free agency. Acquiring Budda Baker, who is entering the final year of his contract, is suggested as a strategic move to quickly reload the secondary and address potential gaps in the safety position.
It remains to be seen whether the Packers will pursue this trade strategy, but Budda Baker is identified as a prime target to enhance their secondary.
Budda Baker Remains Among Elite NFL Safeties, Could Help Packers Make Another Deep Playoff Run
Budda Baker is widely regarded as an elite safety, and in his case, the use of the term “elite” is not an exaggeration in the realm of hypothetical trade proposals and free-agency predictions. Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, Baker made an immediate impact, earning first-team All-Pro honors in his rookie season. Over seven NFL seasons, he has secured a place on the All-Pro teams three times and received Pro Bowl nods in six campaigns.
Baker’s impressive track record led to a significant contract, as he signed a four-year, $59 million deal with the Cardinals in August 2020. However, ahead of the 2023 season, Baker attempted to renegotiate his contract, insisting that Arizona either make him the NFL’s highest-paid safety or trade him to another team. The negotiations proved unsuccessful, and Baker proceeded to play 12 games for the Cardinals, earning another Pro Bowl trip despite the contractual disputes.
Budda Baker Probably Too Costly for Packers in Trade, Unless Both Sides Agree to Extension
Budda Baker has only one season remaining on his current contract, but the $19 million salary cap hit poses a significant challenge for a team with limited cap space like the Green Bay Packers, who currently have just $4.8 million in estimated cap space.
Considering the financial constraints, the more pragmatic approach for the Packers would be to trade for Baker and then negotiate a contract extension. This strategy allows both parties to rework the contract, immediately lowering the cap hit. It not only addresses the immediate financial challenge for the team but also shores up a potential gap in the defense, a key focus for the upcoming offseason as the team seeks a new coordinator to replace the departed Joe Barry.
Despite a slight dip in advanced analytics and traditional counting statistics in 2023, Baker, at 28 years old, remains an elite playmaker with time on his side. His durability, having missed only 10 of a possible 115 regular-season games in his career, is also a positive factor for the team moving forward.
While making Baker the top-paid safety in the league may not be a sound business decision for Green Bay, an extension with a more reasonable annual salary, perhaps in the range of $15 to $16 million over three or four seasons, could be considered, especially if the new defensive coordinator sees Baker as a good fit.
The Packers can further alleviate Baker’s initial cap hit by structuring the deal with a substantial signing bonus. Additionally, freeing up $21 in cap space by cutting or trading left tackle David Bakhtiari, given his recent injury concerns and a $40 million cap hit in 2024, is a plausible option.