The Buffalo Bills need a safety and Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker seems like a logical trade candidate for the Bills to pursue.

After all, the Cardinals are going nowhere this season and it makes sense to trade a soon-to-be 31-year-old safety who is likely to be on the decline before the Cardinals are competitive again.

The logical approach for the Cardinals would be to trade Baker and get some draft capital to help the rebuild.

However, the Cardinals still don't appear willing to trade Baker, even though the veteran safety is rumored to be interested in joining a contender, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.

"The Cardinals have gotten calls on star safety Budda Baker, who I’ve heard wouldn’t mind being dealt to a contender. Thus far, (the Cardinals) haven’t been as receptive to moving him," Breer wrote.

This is the second report in recent days that has stated Baker wouldn't mind a change of scenery.

"My sense is Budda Baker would welcome chance to play for contender if (Arizona) entertains talks (big if)," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported.

Mixed signals for the Bills

Talk about mixed signals. The player wouldn't mind getting traded but the team doesn't want to trade him.

The good news for the Bills, who are reportedly in the market for a safety, is that Baker's desire to join a contender might push the Cardinals to trade him.

It's just hard to fathom that the Cardinals wouldn't oblige his desire after all Baker has meant to the franchise. We'll know soon enough if that's the case.

What a Baker trade could look like

When trying to figure out what Baker could cost, there are a few factors, like how much of his contract the Cardinals will be willing to pick up. That's something the Bills will likely need them to do with Buffalo's miniscule amount of cap space ($3.9 million).

We would hold up the Jacksonville Jaguars' trade with the Atlanta Falcons for Jessie Bates as an example of what Baker may cost.

Jacksonville gave up a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick in exchange for Bates, and the Falcons picked up some of Bates' base salary as part of the deal.

With Baker and Bates on an even playing field in terms of their stature as two of the better safeties in the NFL, the Bills could be looking at giving up as much as a second-round pick and then another selection, assuming Arizona picks up some money.

If the Bills take on all of Baker's contract, then it could cost a third-round pick and a Day 3 selection.

Now, both of those deals are expensive for a safety, but the Bills should have no issue paying up. After all, they have a big need at safety and should be all in during another season in which they are a legit Super Bowl contender.

Josh Allen isn't getting any younger and now is as good a time as ever to strike on a big trade, whether that's at safety or another position of need.

Whether or not general manager Brandon Beane actually gets it done remains to be seen, but history suggests he won't.