Cardinals trade candidate predicted to land with Commanders in blockbuster deal
The Arizona Cardinals have an eight-time Pro Bowl safety who is a logical trade candidate and one analyst predicts he'll land with the Washington Commanders via blockbuster trade.
Cardinals trade candidate predicted to land with Commanders in blockbuster deal originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Washington Commanders have made some key additions to their defense in 2026, but one position that could use more love is safety.
The signing of Nick Cross should be helpful and he will start at one safety spot, but who starts next to him remains to be seen. Right now, Washington's choices aren't ideal, with guys like Will Harris and Quan Martin set to compete. One idea floated by FanSided's Wynston Wilcox involves the Commanders pulling off a blockbuster trade for Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker, who Wilcox considers a trade candidate.
"Baker is expensive, but he’d be a major veteran asset to this defense. They have had one of the oldest rosters in the NFL the last couple of seasons; why not double down on it and improve the secondary at the same time? They did sign Nick Cross to a two-year deal, but with Baker, this team is that much closer to dethroning the Philadelphia Eagles as the NFC champs," Wilcox wrote.
With the Cardinals in the midst of a rebuild and looking to add more draft capital, it makes sense to deal a 30-year-old safety who will be a free agent after 2027. The former second-round pick is one of the better safeties in the NFL, as evidenced by his eight Pro Bowl nods, including seven in a row, and four All-Pro selections. Baker had a down season in coverage in 2025, tallying a Pro Football Focus grade of 35.