Budda Baker has always been at the heart of any defense he’s suited up for. As the former Washington Huskies star enters his ninth season in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, it remains no different heading into 2025, despite the amount of change that’s taken place over his time in the desert. 

“My career with the Cardinals has kind of been more losing than winning,” Baker said on The Mina Kimes Show this week when asked about why he elected to remain with the organization. 

“But, for me, it’s about staying 10 toes down, believe what you believe in. I believe in this coaching staff. I believe in these players we brought in [through] free agency and the draft. Very excited for the future. Don’t want to tell you too much yet, but very excited.”

Baker, a second-round pick by Arizona in the 2017 NFL draft, has been a Swiss-army knife for Cardinals’ coach Johnathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, with his ability to do several different things in the secondary to make an impact on the field. 

The two-time first-team All-Pro recorded a career-high 164 total tackles last season for the Cardinals, which is coincidentally the same number of tackles Baker is shy of from tying Eric Hill for the franchise record in total stops with 785. 

“In this scheme, it gives the ability for the DBs and the linebackers to not exactly show our hand to the offenses until the ball is snapped,” Baker said of Rallis’ defense. “Add that with the great defensive line and some edge rushers, we’re cookin’ on hot reads.” 

Baker signed a three-year extension in December 2024 with Arizona that will keep him with the organization through the 2027 season, giving Gannon and Rallis a proven veteran to build their defense around for a few more years.Â