Report: Cardinals gave Budda Baker raise before training camp

The Arizona Cardinals have yet to extend Budda Baker’s contract beyond the already non-guaranteed 2024 season, but according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team did show appreciation to the safety by giving him a raise before his appearance as training camp started Wednesday.

Baker received $2.4 million in bonuses and incentives for this coming season, including a $300,000 signing bonus, Rapoport reported on Thursday.

In April, it was reported that Baker gave the Cardinals two options: Give him a new deal to make him the highest-paid safety or trade him.

Baker didn’t stay quiet for long following the reports, taking to social media to thank the Cardinals fanbase.

This all transpired a day after it was discovered that Baker had scrubbed “AZ” from his social media in addition to posting other cryptic tweets and Instagram stories referencing a potential divide between he and the Cardinals.

Despite the dispute for a new deal and not appearing at any of the voluntary organized team activities this offseason, Baker still maintained that he would be present when he needed to be — and he followed through.

Selected by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the safety has turned heads in the desert behind 650 total tackles, seven interceptions, five fumble recoveries, 32 tackles for loss and 15 QB hits across 93 games played.

Far and away the heart and soul of the defense — as made even more evident in Arizona’s season on HBO’s Hard Knocks — the safety has appeared in five Pro Bowls (2017, 2019-23) and was named an All-Pro (2017, 2020-21) three times.

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