Budda Baker not on field for start of Cardinals mandatory minicamp

While it was reported Budda Baker was at the facility ahead of the Arizona Cardinals’ mandatory minicamp, he was not among his teammates when they took the field on Tuesday morning.

By the time the open portion of minicamp came to an end, Baker was still nowhere to be found.

The offseason has been a turbulent one between Baker and the Cardinals following the safety’s request that the team make him the highest-paid at his position or trade him.

He stated in an interview with 12Sports’ Cam Cox in May that he would return to the team “when it’s time to be there.” The safety mentioned he would be in attendance for both minicamp and training camp in the interview.

The news of Baker’s absence from the first day of minicamp comes after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the safety was at the team’s training facility on Monday. AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban later confirmed Baker’s presence in Tempe.

Baker was among a number of players not practicing for the Cardinals including wide receiver Hollywood Brown, quarterback Kyler Murray, tight end Zach Ertz, defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence linebacker Kyzir White and quarterback David Blough.

Some of those players are rehabbing injuries.

Despite missing two games due to a sprained ankle, Baker led Arizona in combined tackles with 111 and was one of three players with multiple interceptions last season.

Baker signed a four-year, $59 million contract extension on his rookie deal with the Cardinals in 2020 and is owed over $27 million over the next two seasons.

Per OverTheCap.com, Baker is the seventh-highest paid safety in the NFL. Pro Football Focus ranked Baker as the 11th-best safety in the NFL last season.

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