Budda Baker sets the tone as Arizona Cardinals training camp kicks off
Jul 24, 2024, 5:23 PM
GLENDALE — There’s a big question mark over State Farm Stadium when it comes to Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker’s future with the team beyond 2024.
But as Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon put it Wednesday ahead of the start of training camp, he doesn’t get into feelings of the future.
Neither is the All-Pro safety entering Year 8, made evident by his impromptu speech a night prior, further solidifying his impact on those around the team.
“He got up and talked last night off the cuff. He’s everything we’re about,” Gannon said Wednesday. “He practices the right way, he prepares the right way. You should hear him in meetings. He’s a phenomenal person and he’s a phenomenal player. I’m glad No. 3’s with us and he’s going to play a big part this year.”
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“I like for our players to get up and talk,” Gannon added.
“Budda’s been a captain, was a captain last year. We won’t announce captains until we get to Week 1, but it’s a part of when I ask if players want to be captains, there’s a responsibility that comes with that. Some guys don’t want that and that’s fine. But one of the responsibilities is to lead vocally at times. He has a unique gift to do that.”
Unlike last offseason, there has been no inkling of a holdout or trade request for Baker as he prepares for Year 8 in Arizona. Not even a whiff.
Throughout organized team activities, mandatory minicamp and now the beginning of training camp, Baker has focused on the season ahead and not letting any kind of personal distractions impact his role on the team.
Maybe there’s an understanding that a deal will get done, especially given the amount of praise Baker gets on the regular from the new regime and players.
Maybe it’s the new regime itself, having replaced the dysfunction and off-the-field nonsense with a new culture, a sense of direction and added talent to boot.
No matter the reasoning, Baker is once again taking the lead and everyone around him is following suit.
“It’s huge. Budda’s been a guy that’s done it right year after year after year after year,” running back James Conner said Wednesday. “When he talks, guys listen. He’s been a captain every year and he’s our tone-setter for sure.”
“He’s just ready to go out there. He’s so enthused and so happy to be around the people he’s around,” cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting added. “Everybody that’s showed up has worked hard and made him feel really good about the season going forward.”
