ARIZONA — Speculation surrounding the future of Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker has been notable since the star made a trade request public in the 2023 offseason.

It was a time when the Cardinals were in transition after hiring a new head coach (Jonathan Gannon) and general manager (Monti Ossenfort) while tearing down the roster. At this point, Baker had two years left on his contract with no guaranteed money.

Whether the request to trade was genuine remains to be seen, but if it was a political move to see his business resumed – it was a success. Baker signed a restructured contract at the start of training camp, although he is still scheduled to become a free agent after the 2024 season.

Since the trade request, Arizona has turned the corner. They are now winners of their last four games entering their bye week while sitting pretty atop the NFC West.

Baker wants to play for a winner, and that’s exactly the path the Cardinals are on.

ESPN NFL, Jeremy Fowler say Baker and the Cardinals could come to an agreement on a new deal before free agency begins.

“People I’ve talked to think there’s a realistic chance Baker and the Cardinals can come to an agreement before free agency. Baker prioritizes winning, so if he thinks he can win big in Arizona, staying there is a viable option.” , Fowler wrote. .

“The Cardinals have shown encouraging signs in recent weeks. Baker is also about his business, as he showed with an April 2023 trade request. So the Cardinals should pay for a 28-year-old with five Pro Consecutive Bowls”.

Arizona is projected to have $98 million in effective cap space next offseason by OverTheCapsecond most in the NFL.

If the Cardinals want Baker to stay, they can make it happen.

The obvious issue is what kind of compensation Baker — who turns 29 in January — will seek and what the Cardinals are comfortable paying him. He’s essentially invaluable to the rest of Arizona’s culture, and the team has been pretty clear about what he brings to the table.

Jonathan Gannon after Sunday’s win over the New York Jets:

“He’s one of our elite players, man. I know everyone sees what he does on Sunday. I see what the guy does Monday through Saturday, and like I said, you can’t put a price on it. He is just a complete captain. He is a warrior – all the things that mean. I’m glad we have him.”

Baker was a popular name around the league’s trade deadline, though the organization also came up denied any rumors that they would part ways with the safety of the star.

Baker himself address contract negotiations at the start of the offseason and said that while he wanted to remain a Cardinal, he understood the business side of the league.

“Of course I want to be a Cardinal, but at the end of the day I understand it’s a business … That’s the main thing, keeping the main thing – to help this football team right now. Every year it changes,” he said in June.

It is now the middle of November and both the Cardinals and Baker are playing well.

Some believed the Cardinals should have dealt Baker so they wouldn’t walk away empty-handed if he left in free agency, though it’s clear Arizona may not be letting go of one of its best players theirs to sniff out the free market.