Cardinals and Texans trade proposal sends $59 million star to Houston

After failing to sign him to a contract extension during the offseason, the future of Arizona Cardinals star safety Budda Baker is up in the air, which could lead to him getting traded at the deadline next month. One NFL analyst believes the Houston Texans could be a trade suitor.

Baker is in the final year of his four-year, $59 million deal with Arizona, and if the Cardinals look to be going nowhere at the trade deadline on Nov. 5 and don't have any plans on keeping the veteran safety, he could be moved.

Knowing that, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin has suggested a trade between the Cardinals and Texans that lands Baker in Houston in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick.

"When at full speed, Baker is arguably one of the NFL's top safeties," Benjamin wrote. "He briefly requested a trade out of Arizona prior to this season, however, while seeking a major pay raise, and missed multiple games in both 2022 and 2023. With the Cardinals struggling on defense and off to a 2-4 start, his relocation prospects could ramp up. And Houston has battled injuries on the back end, with Jeff Okudah and Jimmie Ward both banged up. As a rental for the rest of the season, he could help the Texans' chances of a deep run."

While Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward are a solid duo, there's no question that Baker would still be an upgrade for Houston. He's a six-time Pro Bowler who is great against the run and more than serviceable in coverage.

Baker will be a free agent after this season, but with the Texans going for it, a fourth-round pick is a small price to pay for the kind of upgrade the Cardinals safety is. Also, the Texans could extend him beyond 2024 if everything pans out.

With the Texans going for it now while C.J. Stroud's contract is still cheap, making a move for Baker makes a ton of sense.