The Arizona Cardinals seem ready to throw in the towel. After trading Jacoby Brissett, they announced that both Gardner Minshew and Michael Wilson were being placed on the injured reserve list and were out for the rest of the season.

Despite some upside during their 3-6 start, those moves fueled the perception that Arizona was shifting its focus toward the future. That is what made the decision not to trade Budda Baker at the deadline, even with a clear demand for the veteran, perplexing to the fan base.

Analysts Aren’t Happy About the Cardinals Not Trading Budda Baker

With victories over the Dallas Cowboys and the Los Angeles Rams, the Cardinals showed a lot of fight throughout the year. But after trading Brissett and Marvin Harrison Jr., it was clear that the team was willing to move players with a long-term perspective in mind.

At the deadline, though, as the NFL saw a flurry of activity, one name that was in trade talks was their veteran safety. The Buffalo Bills were among the teams pursuing a move for him before eventually settling for Amani Hooker.

“Sources: Prior to trading for Amani Hooker, the #Bills made a very strong push for #Cardinals 8x Pro Bowl S Budda Baker,” Jordan Schultz reported. “Arizona gave off the impression they don’t want to trade a franchise icon, despite a lost season, and Buffalo eventually got a deal done in Tennessee.”

Buffalo ultimately sent Tennessee a 2027 second-round pick for Hooker and a 2027 fifth-rounder, showing the kind of premium draft capital available for an established safety. NFL media voices were understandably upset with the front office for not fully embracing the rebuild and aired their frustration on social media.

“The Cardinals aren’t good enough to be worrying about ‘franchise icon’ trade denials. Just terrible front office decisions every couple of months,” Hayden Winks of Yahoo Sports complained. “Probably would’ve been a 2nd-plus.”

The 10-year veteran had a penchant for consistency and production in the secondary, and his resume, alongside ranking at number 21 on PFN’s Safety Impact Metric, could have meant that the Cardinals got a premium price for him.

“AZ finally had a chance to make the move. Dumb of them not to,”Bills analyst Nate Geary argued, before confessing, “I’ll take Hooker, though. Cheaper, younger, in his prime. Onward and upward.”

Josh Norris of Yahoo Sports was also critical of the Cardinals’ front office decision-making, claiming, “Bad teams stay bad because of,” as Cardinals reporter Kyle Odegard exploded, “The Cardinals will continue to be [expletive] until they prioritize winning over optics.”

At 30, though, the time was running out for the Cardinals to part with Baker. Given the demands of the secondary, NFL analyst Jon Ledyard was skeptical about what a future deal would look like for the safety, if the team was able to find one in the first place.

“Cardinals could have traded Baker many times over the years for a huge return,” Ledyard argued. “He is HIGHLY thought of around the league. But this might have been their last chance to do so. Dumb not to!”

NFL Fashion Advice’s account wrote, “Safeties approaching 30 are getting 2nd rounders and change. Budda is a franchise icon. And he deserves an opportunity to play with a contender. Come to your senses, Cardinals.”

San Francisco 49ers analyst John Chapman was far more direct in his criticism, writing, “The Cardinals do everything wrong every time.”

It remains to be seen whether the decision proves to be the right one in the long run.

But for the time being, the Cardinals’ 3-6 record and recent personnel moves have shifted attention toward evaluating younger players and the franchise’s long-term direction.