Man, what a rollercoaster for the Cardinals this past weekend! They dropped Mike LaFleur’s coaching debut in a heartbreaker, watching the clock tick down on a loss. But then, as if on cue, the Hall of Fame festivities kicked off, and with former Cardinal great Larry Fitzgerald getting his gold jacket, it got everyone buzzing about who from *this* roster could be next. And let me tell you, one name screams future legend: Budda Baker.
Our Dawg Budda Baker Is Still An Absolute Field General
This guy is just built different, and for us Seattle fans, we knew it from his college days! Our own Dawg, straight out of the University of Washington, where he was an All-American and a two-time All-Pac-12 standout. He then took that elite energy to the NFL. Drafted in the second round back in 2017, Baker has been a Cardinal his entire nine-year career, just like Fitz. Talk about loyalty! Eight Pro Bowls? Eight! That’s insane consistency. Plus, he made the NFL All-Rookie Team, and not one, but *twice* he was First Team All-Pro, then another *two* times Second Team. Getting even one All-Pro nod is a monumental honor, so four is just wild.
In 2024, he racked up 164 total tackles, only nine short of the entire league lead. And get this: in only his second season, he led the league with 147 tackles! He’s had over 100 tackles in six different seasons, which is just absurd for a safety. His career total is sitting at a ridiculous 947 tackles, averaging out to over 105 per year. The dude’s 30 now, but does he look like he’s slowing down? Absolutely not! He’s a true coach on the field, adding a ton of experience to that safety group. In Nick Rallis’ defense, being physical and nailing man coverage in the secondary is non-negotiable, and Baker crushes it. He’s a very good tackler and a quick study for any defensive scheme, always helping out the run defense. He’s played in 138 career games, starting 128 of them, and his stat sheet is wild: 51 tackles for loss, 8 interceptions, 44 batted passes, and 48 pressures. What a monster.
Trey McBride Is Just Getting Started
Then there’s Trey McBride, a guy who’s just 26 and already in the prime of his athletic life. We’ve seen it time and again, the legendary tight ends aren’t always first-rounders. Travis Kelce was a third-round pick. George Kittle? Fifth. Antonio Gates went undrafted! McBride was a second-round choice in 2022, and he’s got that natural athleticism, having been a basketball and baseball star in high school. That multi-sport background tells you everything about his raw talent and why he’s going to keep developing into something special.
So while the Cardinals took a tough L to kick off LaFleur’s tenure, having a bona fide field general like Baker and a rising star like McBride on the roster means there’s always something to get hyped about. You watch Baker out there, and you know they’ve got a shot every Sunday. This team might have dropped their first game, but with players like these, you can bet they’re already plotting how to turn things around in the weeks ahead. It’s early, but the future looks bright with these two leading the way.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Revenge of the Birds.
Leave a Reply