The star safety describes what’s cooking in Arizona as “something special,” particularly on defense
TEMPE — For the safety of the Arizona Cardinals, Buddhi Bakerythis offseason has been much different than last year, and that’s good for the six-time All-Star Pro Bowl.
Baker He was an active participant on and off the field throughout the OTAs and minicamp in the spring. It’s a significant difference from last year, when he did not attend the voluntary portion of the offseason program or the mandatory minicamp of the teams. Cardinals while the details of a contractual restructuring were being worked out.
“It’s great to be here,” he said. Baker“We have a lot of different players, so just understanding what they’re like, what they like and what they don’t like, and trying to help them as much as I can with football knowledge with the young guys.”
As Budda Baker enters the final year of his current contract, he is fully aware of his role as a leader for the Cardinals. AP Photo/Matt York
It was last April when Baker He asked to be traded, setting in motion a series of negotiations that, in the end, did not lead him to where he wanted: the attainment of a new contract that would have made him the highest-paid safety in the league. NFL or a trade to another club. Instead, he received a $300,000 signing bonus and was eligible to collect an additional $2.4 million in bonuses and incentives.
This year, he is entering the final year of a four-year, $59 million contract he signed in 2020 that will pay him a base salary of $14.2 million — the second-highest base salary among safeties, behind only Minkah Fitzpatrick of the Pittsburgh Steelers— and can earn a $400,000 training bonus, plus another $500,000 in additional bonuses.
“My mentality is the same every year,” he confessed. Baker“A lot of people think it’s all about the money. Some players might assume, ‘Oh, contract year, I have to do something extra. I have to do this.’ I treat every year as a contract year.
“For me, I love this game. I play it at a high level every week, because of the work that I put into it every week. And, for me, I’m a true believer in just controlling what I can control and doing my job. At the end of the day, everything else will take care of itself.”
After more money was added to his contract, Baker He spent last season showing how valuable and indispensable he is to the young defense of Arizonaa unit with little experience. After missing Week 2 through Week 6 with a hamstring issue, he finished the season ranked second among the team’s defensive backs. Cardinals in total tackles (87), en route to a selection of Pro Bowl.
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Looking ahead to its eighth season, Baker He said he wants to stay in Arizonathe team that selected him in the second round in 2017, beyond this season. Although, he understands the politics of the NFLpointing to the head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Ossenfort Mountains like those in charge. Baker He made sure to mention that he is on his fourth coaching group in Arizonaand everyone has decided to keep him.
“It shows the kind of character I have, and the kind of work ethic I have on the field,” he said. Baker“No matter what, no matter who’s there, no matter who’s leading, I’m going to do my job and I’m going to be that person that other people can look to and ask questions and all those things, too.
“So of course I want to continue with the Cardinalsbut at the end of the day, I understand that it is a business.”
In a lost season that saw the Cardinals finish with a record of 4-13, Bakerwho started 12 matches, was a stabilizing influence.
“Great leader,” said the safety. Jalen Thompson“I feel like he’s a leader. He gets everybody moving. When the energy is down, he’s the guy that picks everybody up. He’s just one of those guys that does everything right.
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“When younger people see a guy like that, they want to do it.”
The corner Kei’Trel Clarklast season’s rookie, watched as Bakerthe player with the second longest tenure in the current roster of the Cardinalsprepared, studied and absorbed the playbook during the week. He also observed how Baker He had a short memory for bad plays, and moved on in an instant. Clark He said he took some of what he learned from Baker and implemented it in his own game.
For the first time in his career last season, Baker He said teams didn’t throw his way on purpose; he was the closest defender on 18 targeted passes last season, the fewest of his career and the first time in his career he was challenged fewer than 30 times, according to NFL Next Gen Stats data.
Although he allowed nine receptions and 215 yards — both career bests — Baker He was frustrated last year. And, no matter how he was used by the defensive coaches of the Cardinalsthe teams continued to keep their distance.
“I miss him a lot,” he said. Baker“But at the end of the day, I know our coaches understand that there are certain schemes that we can use to force offenses, that we can dictate things in a certain sense,”
Although last season was complicated for Bakerhad to be patient; to a certain extent.
He knew and accepted that mistakes were going to happen from his younger peers. If they made the same mistake a second time, “It’s like, let’s see.” But if they made the same mistake a third time, he said. Baker“I could lose my cool with you.”
Have to Baker On the field, in the end, it makes life “much easier” for the defense, he added. Thompson.
Facing his final season under contract, Baker He feels optimistic about this year’s defense. He can feel last year’s moment impacting this one, describing what’s brewing in Arizona as “something special”.
And, defensively, that’s led by him.
“He’s another coach on the field, honestly, and in the meeting rooms,” he said. Gannon. “But, I think the value I see with Buddha It’s like you’re in a defensive backs meeting and you show him a play and he says, … ‘Hey, I want to make sure you’re thinking this, because this is what I’m going to do on this play.’
“So, it’s good to have those guys… I think it speeds up the learning.”
2024-07-02 06:03:47
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