2017 NFL Draft Update: Cardinals Getting Budda Baker Stinks

University of Washington star taken in second round by Arizona Cardinals

Let’s be clear: Baker is a baller. Baker is a watered-down Earl Thomas. But only slightly so. Baker has the potential to make the Seahawks miserable for several years. I wish Seattle had taken Baker.

Is Baker the biggest safety or nickel defensive back? No. But neither is Thomas. Thomas’s biggest attribute is that he seemingly instinctively knows where the pass is going. Thomas understands where the rusher is heading. Baker knows this too. Would Baker have been better than Steven Terrell was in 2016? Yes, even though Baker was still in college he would have been better than Seahawks backup safety Terrell. Baker will be a very good safety in the NFL for a very long time. Will he start week one? Probably not.

But will Baker be starting week ones for several seasons? Absolutely. Baker is the kind of player the Seahawks love. He is also the type of player that the Cardinals need to have. Baker is the player that the Cardinals see across the field when they play Seattle and envy.

The problem is that though John Schneider is stock-piling picks in this draft, one could argue that he is also missing on picks. Seattle needs secondary depth and secondary stars for the future. Baker could have possibly filled the role that Thomas currently holds. Or if Thomas gets injured again, Baker would have been a much better option that Terrell ever was. Baker would have picked off a middle-deep throw that Terrell just watched last year in the playoffs against Atlanta.

Next year, Baker might be intercepting Russell Wilson. That is instead of helping Wilson’s team.