If you’ve spent any time watching the Arizona Cardinals over the last few years, you’ve probably noticed a guy who seems to be everywhere at once. Number 3. The dude is basically a heat-seeking missile in a red jersey. Budda Baker isn't just a safety; he’s the soul of a franchise that has seen more than its fair share of ups and downs recently.
It’s January 2026. The NFL season is wrapping up, and while the Cardinals’ record might not be what fans hoped for, one thing remains constant: Budda is still flying downhill and hitting people like they owe him money. Honestly, it’s kind of wild that he’s still doing it at this level.
What Most People Get Wrong About Budda Baker
A lot of casual fans look at his stats and see the tackle numbers. Last season, in 2024, he put up a career-high 164 total tackles. That’s insane for a safety. People see that and think, "Oh, he's just a box safety who can't cover."
That is flat-out wrong.
Actually, the high tackle count is often a symptom of the defense around him struggling. When your defensive line is getting pushed back, the safety has to clean up the mess. Budda has been cleaning up messes in Arizona since 2017. He’s the literal last line of defense.
The Real Impact Beyond the Box Score
The thing that makes Arizona Cardinals Budda Baker elite isn't just the 100+ tackles he seemingly sleeps through every year. It’s the "how."
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- Closing Speed: He diagnoses a play faster than almost anyone in the league. By the time a running back thinks he has a hole, Budda is already there.
- Technique: Despite being 5-10 and about 195 pounds, he uses a shoulder-leverage tackling style that keeps him safe and stops 240-pounders in their tracks.
- Leadership: They call him "Uncle" in the locker room now. He’s the veteran presence that the young secondary—guys like Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Kitan Crawford—lean on.
He’s an eight-time Pro Bowler for a reason. You don’t get voted in that many times by just "being around." You get there by being the guy every offensive coordinator has to circle in red on their game plan.
The Contract Drama and the 2026 Reality
Remember back in 2023 when there were all those trade rumors? Budda wanted out, or at least he wanted to be paid what he was worth. The Cardinals eventually stepped up, giving him a bump, and then followed it up with a three-year, $54 million extension that runs through 2027.
Right now, in early 2026, he’s carrying a cap hit of about $19.2 million.
That’s a lot of money for a safety who just turned 30. But for the Cardinals, he’s worth every penny. You can’t replace that kind of institutional knowledge. He knows Nick Rallis’s system inside and out. He’s the guy making sure everyone is lined up correctly when the crowd is screaming and the play clock is winding down.
Will He Finish His Career in Arizona?
It’s the question every Cards fan asks. He’s the longest-tenured player on the roster.
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His current deal has a potential out in 2027, but if he keeps playing like he did this past season—recording 111 tackles and another Pro Bowl nod—it’s hard to imagine him anywhere else. He’s basically the Larry Fitzgerald of the defense. A cornerstone.
Arizona Cardinals Budda Baker: The 2025 Season Recap
Looking back at the 2025 season that just ended, Budda was a bright spot in a tough year. He missed some time late in the year due to a concussion and a thumb injury—specifically sitting out the Week 17 loss to the Bengals—but he made it back for the finale against the Rams on January 4, 2026.
He finished the year with 111 tackles and an interception.
That interception came against the Jaguars in November. It was a classic Budda play—sitting back, reading the QB's eyes, and pouncing. He doesn't get a ton of picks (he's only got 8 in his career), but he makes them count.
His PFF grades usually hover in the 70s for run defense, which confirms what the eye test tells you: he is a nightmare for opposing running backs.
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Why He Still Matters in 2026
The NFL moves fast. Players get old, they get slow, and they get replaced by cheaper, younger talent. But Arizona Cardinals Budda Baker is different. He’s built a culture.
When Jonathan Gannon arrived, he talked about "the Cardinal way." Budda is the embodiment of that. He’s the guy who stays late, who watches extra film, and who hits just as hard in a Week 18 game with no playoff implications as he does on opening day.
For a team that is still trying to find its identity in the Gannon/Ossenfort era, having a guy like Baker is a luxury. He provides a floor for the defense. You know that no matter what else happens, the safety play is going to be high-level.
Actionable Insights for Cardinals Fans
If you're following the team into the 2026 offseason, here is what you need to watch regarding Number 3:
- Watch the Secondary Growth: See how much Taylor-Demerson and Crawford improve this year. Their development is directly tied to Baker’s leadership and ability to "erase" mistakes behind them.
- Monitor the Health: He's 30 now. The concussion protocol stint at the end of 2025 was a reminder that he plays a very physical brand of football. His durability is the key to the Cardinals' defensive success.
- Cap Management: Keep an eye on how the team handles his $20 million cap hit in 2027. They might look to restructure to keep him around even longer.
Budda Baker is one of those rare players who transcends the "business" side of the NFL. He’s a fan favorite, a coach’s dream, and still one of the best to ever put on the Arizona uniform.