Would you trade Budda?

[BritCard]

Let me start off by saying that of course Budda is awesome. He's the heart and sole of the defense and one of the few truly accountable people on the team. He's everything Gannon is looking for but...

We have 2 safeties earning an APY of $27m on a team with nothing much at D line or CB. Both positions more valuable than safety. Budda's next 2 years are going to cost the team $17m and $18. Jalen's cap hit next year goes up to $12.5m. That's over $30m next year on safeties on a rebuilding team. That seems nuts.

We also have Simmons who isn't working at linebacker who might benefit from a move to strong safety.

Budda has 2 more years left on his deal and I'm not sure we will be in a position to re-sign him after 2024. I'm not sure Budda will want to re-sign here as he will be 28 and on his last shot at winning something. Next year might be the last chance to trade him away for something, and as this season is already over why not do it now? It save's us $10m in cap space this year and gets us picks to rebuild.

If trading Budda can net us a DT and CB in the draft while clearing $10m in cap space. It seems like a smart move for a rebuilding team.

 

[LA Redbird]

It seems we are blowing it up. At least, that's the only thing that makes any sense at this point. If that is truly the committed strategy, then fine. Stick with it and go all the way through. And in that sense, yes, I would trade Baker.

And it's a crying shame we're saddled with that quarter billion dollar contract for Murray. In two years, he may be the sole holdover from our 7-0 team.

 

[juza76]

Yes
Maybe he deserve a chance to play for a better franchise
From a rational standpoint he should be traded
The Cardinals are clearly in rebuilding mode and its fool having so much money invested on safeties
Paying +10mil a safety is generally a bad choice
We have two
A no one of them is a real playmaker
Even if Thompson has the potential to be
If i run a football franchise
I would use top salaries just for
QB
WR1
Offensive tackle
Interior linemen
Pass rusher
Cb1

 

[kerouac9]

Lots of big-brain Madden thinking here. No one else wants to pay $12M+ for a safety, either. You have to field a football team.

Really hard to sell that we're going to be a tough, smart, and physical football team while offloading your toughest, smartest, and most physical players.

 

[Arz101]

This thread is atleast worth a "Not worth a comment" comment.

 

[BirdGangThing]

I don't think the Broncos have any picks left

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Would I, yes.
Would I feel good about it, no.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

It makes sense to--- but would hurt

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Budda is a fine player, who stands out because he small and tries a lot harder than everyone else out there. The problem is he's being payed top money while not being much of a difference maker at a non premium position. (Keim time special!)

 

[BritCard]

Would I, yes.
Would I feel good about it, no.

It makes sense to--- but would hurt

Exactly. It wouldn't be nice, but also I feel like it makes sense.

 

[BritCard]

This thread is atleast worth a "Not worth a comment" comment.

It was so not worth a comment you felt the need to comment.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Lots of big-brain Madden thinking here. No one else wants to pay $12M+ for a safety, either.

Meanwhile safety Jessie Bates just signed a deal worth $16M average per year.

 

[BritCard]

Lots of big-brain Madden thinking here. No one else wants to pay $12M+ for a safety, either. You have to field a football team.

Really hard to sell that we're going to be a tough, smart, and physical football team while offloading your toughest, smartest, and most physical players.

Yet the Falcons literally just paid Jessie Bates $16m a year.

You don't think a team would want to take on a $13.5m cap hit with no guaranteed money (he has no G's left at all) for a multi pro bowl safety that plays through high ankle strains on already dead seasons?

I think you're nuts if that's the case. Teams would be lining up.

 

[TRW]

The Cards should consider it if they can get a good return. Budda's a good player, not as great as some think IMO, and the defense has been putrid with him. Not his fault, granted, but still.

If this is a rebuild, reset, tanking, whatever, why keep him if he has value in a trade?

 

[BritCard]

I can't imagine arguing in one thread that the franchise isn't tearing it down in the right way and then in another arguing you should keep your $17m safety that *checks notes* has been so instrumental to a winning culture here that he has one winning season in 6.

 

[kerouac9]

I can't imagine arguing in one thread that the franchise isn't tearing it down in the right way and then in another arguing you should keep your $17m safety that *checks notes* has been so instrumental to a winning culture here that he has one winning season in 6.

The problem is that there are mixed messages in place. I think that Budda at 28-31 actually could be part of a winning team. He couldn't be the second-best player on a good defense at that age, but he can be a regular contributor.

The team hasn't indicated that they're tearing it down the right way by spending a bunch of money on a kicker. Are we smarter than Gannon and Monti or not? Wait... can we only start tearing it down "the right way" after we miss the layups on Allen and Murphy?

Like with DHop, a 2023 Arizona Cardinals team with Budda Baker is more fun than one without. Lots of galaxy-brained thinking about how fun and easy it is to build a winner right now. Less fun when you're actually winning four games. It was excruciating.

Can't get rid of James Conner but gotta get rid of Budda Baker is such a weird take I don't even know what to say.

 

[Proximo]

Depends on a few things. Can Simmons take his place effectively, and what are we getting in return.

I kind of doubt the return would be high enough to make it a good idea, especially if it is draft picks.

 

[DVontel]

Trading Budda, but keeping a very mediocre RB & a passed-his-prime TE is certainly a take.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Trading Budda, but keeping a very mediocre RB & a passed-his-prime TE is certainly a take.

Not even close to the same thing. Considering neither of the two you are arguing against have any real trade value at all.

 

[BritCard]

Can't get rid of James Conner but gotta get rid of Budda Baker is such a weird take I don't even know what to say.

You're obviously smart so what you see as weird takes is truly baffling sometimes. Let me break it down for you.

James Conner saves only $700k in cap space this year and save nothing in future cap because you're just taking money out of this year you could roll over to next year. So the end result is the same. He has next to no trade value due to his contract. You might get a 7th or a pick swap for him. You save very little money and gain very little in draft capital so it's not worth losing a leader on the team.

Budda is also leader, even more so. But he's also a 3 x All pro and 5 x Pro Bowl and one of the few players on this team with any value. Not only does trading him save us $10m in cap space this year that we could roll over and $14m next year he would also command a decent haul of draft picks.

While Budda would be a loss, we already have players on the roster that could potentially replace him. One of the few actual positions we could do that with by moving Simmons to FS or Jalen to FS and Simmons to SS.

When the Jets traded Adams they turned those picks into AVT and Garrett Wilson. We could potentially turn Budda into a starting DT and Corner while adding $24m to next years cap space for FA signings.

I'm not advocating it, but it's not hard to see why it makes some sense.

 

[Shane]

We all know I think Budda is a tad overrated…. But I still wouldn’t trade him.

 

[BritCard]

Depends on a few things. Can Simmons take his place effectively, and what are we getting in return.

I kind of doubt the return would be high enough to make it a good idea, especially if it is draft picks.

What would you expect a 27 year old 3x All Pro and 5x Pro Bowl safety to bring?

Minimum in my mind would be a 2nd, 3rd and 5th.

Look at the Adams and Fitzpatrick trades and both those guys were getting paid on top of the trade value.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Trade Budda Baker?

Nah

Free Budda Baker? To a team that might actually win a home game this season and make the playoffs?

I'd ask him

 

[Stout]

You're obviously smart so what you see as weird takes is truly baffling sometimes. Let me break it down for you.

James Conner saves only $700k in cap space this year and save nothing in future cap because you're just taking money out of this year you could roll over to next year. So the end result is the same. He has next to no trade value due to his contract. You might get a 7th or a pick swap for him. You save very little money and gain very little in draft capital so it's not worth losing a leader on the team.

Budda is also leader, even more so. But he's also a 3 x All pro and 5 x Pro Bowl and one of the few players on this team with any value. Not only does trading him save us $10m in cap space this year that we could roll over and $14m next year he would also command a decent haul of draft picks.

While Budda would be a loss, we already have players on the roster that could potentially replace him. One of the few actual positions we could do that with by moving Simmons to FS or Jalen to FS and Simmons to SS.

When the Jets traded Adams they turned those picks into AVT and Garrett Wilson. We could potentially turn Budda into a starting DT and Corner while adding $24m to next years cap space for FA signings.

I'm not advocating it, but it's not hard to see why it makes some sense.

Or we could turn Budda into two scrubs and cap space. That's just as likely.

Budda is an interesting case. I can go either way. If we can get a haul, sure. Otherwise, probably not worth it. For a late or mid-round pick only? I doubt I'd do that.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Or we could turn Budda into two scrubs and cap space. That's just as likely.

Budda is an interesting case. I can go either way. If we can get a haul, sure. Otherwise, probably not worth it. For a late or mid-round pick only? I doubt I'd do that.

I would probably do it for the 2nd/3rd/5th comp that Brit suggested.