While headlines from other NFL precincts highlight holdouts and hold-ins (see Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams, CeeDee Lamb, Haason Reddick and Jordan Love to name a few), there is no drama in Glendale with the Arizona Cardinals.
That’s because safety Budda Baker, despite entering the final year of his contract after turning 28 this past January, is present and accounted for while continuing to be the vocal leader that is part of his DNA.
As the Cardinals hit the field for Day 2 of training camp practices, the buzz continues following Baker’s impromptu message at a team meeting Tuesday evening after the team reported. It came after owner Michael Bidwill, senior vice president of media relations Mark Dalton and head coach Jonathan Gannon spoke.
Gannon said Wednesday that Baker’s words were “off the cuff” and that “he is everything we’re about. He practices the right way, he prepares the right way. You should hear him in meetings. He asks a ton of questions when he probably knows the answers, but he’s probably asking the question because his buddy doesn’t want to ask the question.”
Gannon claimed he knew about 25 seconds before going on that Baker would talk and when asked if the safety stole the show, Gannon joked and said, “I’d like to think no because I think I’m the show, but that was hubris.” He then said twice, “He did steal the show.”
Noting that captains won’t be named until the beginning of the regular season, Gannon added that he likes when players take charge.
“When I ask if players want to be captains, there’s a responsibility that comes with that,” he said. “Some guys don’t want that and that’s fine, but one of the responsibilities is to lead vocally at times. He has a unique gift to do that.”
After the first practice, running back James Conner said, “He’s a guy that’s done it right, year after year after year after year. When he talks, guys listen. He’s been a captain every year for a reason. He’s our tone-setter for sure.”
Entering his sixth season in the NFL, but first with the Cardinals, cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting said, “He’s just ready to go out there. He’s so enthused and so happy to be around the people he’s around. Everybody that’s showed up has worked hard and made him feel really good about the season going forward.”
Gannon knows how important Baker is to the defense on and off the field. “He’s a phenomenal person and he’s a phenomenal player,” Gannon emphasized. “I’m glad 3 is with us and he’s going to play a big part in what we do this year.”
Of course, that begs the question of whether Baker will continue to be a part of it in 2025 and beyond. Understandably, Gannon doesn’t want to go there.
When asked if he has thought about what it would be like to go forward without him next year, the pragmatic head coach said, “I don’t get into feelings in the future.”
Of course, he also knows “the future” will be here in a blink of the eye.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
