Eagles Land Star Defender in Latest Projected Trade

In the 2024 offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles made it a priority to address the defensive side of the ball. The defense had fallen off a cliff in the second half of the 2023 season and GM Howie Roseman spent the spring to upgrade the talent on that end.

The Eagles added Bryce Huff, brought back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and selected Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the first two rounds of the draft. However, entering Week 6 of the NFL season, the Eagles' defense is far from a Super Bowl-caliber unit. In fact, they allow the second-most yards per play and have forced only two turnovers in four games.

Gardner-Johnson has been particularly disappointing in his return to Philadelphia as he ranks 69th out of 80 eligible safeties according to PFF grades. The Eagles have to try to upgrade the position if they want to be a dangerous postseason team.

Fortunately for them, there is a star safety that may be available via a trade. Former NFL executive Jeff Diamond predicted that the Eagles would land Budda Baker from the Arizona Cardinals.

"The Eagles have the cap space and the draft capital (probably a second-round pick would be required) to swing a deal for Baker."

- Jeff Diamond, 33rd Team

Baker is in the final year of the four-year, $59 million deal he signed back in 2020. He was given pay raises in the past two offseasons but the Cardinals refused to give him the lucrative long-term extension he was looking for.

Even though the Cardinals looked better than anticipated at times this season, they are still 2-3 and aren't going anywhere. Parting ways with their 28-year-old Pro Bowler in exchange for draft capital makes plenty of sense.

"The Eagles D currently ranks No. 27 and Baker would be an obvious upgrade over starting safeties Reed Blankenship and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. "

- Jeff Diamond, 33rd Team

Baker was a Pro Bowl selection in each of the past five seasons. He already has 52 tackles (three for loss) through five games and would be an immediate upgrade over Gardner-Johnson.

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