Commanders News: Ron Rivera, Josh Harris, Andrew Luck and Budda Baker
By Dean Jones
Commanders linked with Budda Baker trade
While all the talk has been about the sale and its long-term impact, the Washington Commanders still have plenty of important matters in terms of playing personnel upcoming before the campaign begins. Certain players are cut candidates, others want contract extensions ahead of time, and one or two are still being linked with trades away from the franchise.
Again, this is something Ron Rivera must manage carefully entering a critical 2023 season from a personal standpoint. One also cannot completely dismiss the possibility of further arrivals to give the Commanders' chances of reaching the postseason another shot in the arm.
Unhappy defensive back Budda Baker was recently linked to the Commanders as a potential trade incoming by Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports. This is a surprising development considering the dynamic safety tandem Washington already has in the form of Darrick Forrest and Kamren Curl.
"[Budda] Baker requested a trade out of Arizona earlier this offseason, and given the position that roster is in, it might make sense for the team to grant him his way and begin to restock its cupboard of draft picks. A high-impact secondary player who plays much bigger than his size (5-10, 195 pounds), Baker has also shown himself to be highly durable, missing only five games in six seasons. He carries base salaries of $13.1 million and $14.2 million over the next two years, and he should be able to maintain a high level of play even beyond that."
- Cody Benjamin, CBS Sports
It would be surprising to see the Commanders make any sort of move like this with new owners and potentially big changes to key figures on the horizon. Baker is talented, but the franchise has already invested more than enough in its secondary this offseason.