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Baker

Baker was added to the injury report on Sunday morning. We expect him to play through the issue, though we won’t know definitively until 90 minutes before kickoff. Baker has 58 tackles and three TFLs in eight games this season.

Baker will make his much anticipated return to the active roster against the division rival Seahawks in Week 7 after missing the previous four games with a hamstring injury. The Cardinals started the season with two solid defensive showings against the Commanders and during the first half of their game against the Giants, largely failing to adjust to life without Baker since. He will bring a needed jolt to head coach Jonathan Gannon’s modified two-high-shallow defensive shell that asks a lot of its safeties.

Baker was a late addition to the Cardinals’ Week 2 injury report and then was placed on Injured Reserve on the following Monday. Arguably the most impactful player on Arizona’s defense, Baker being back on the field would be a major help. However, practicing today simply begins his 21-day window to be activated, so it’s unclear yet how much practice time he’ll need before we can see him on the field again.

Baker was a late addition to the Cardinals Week 2 injury report and wound up missing Sunday’s matchup against the Giants. Now on injured reserve, the Cardinals will be without their best defensive player for the next four weeks, as Baker won’t be eligible to return until Week 7 when the team takes on the Seahawks.

The Cardinals will be without their best defensive player in Baker as he popped up on the injury report with a hamstring injury on Friday. The Cardinals will be tasked with slowing Saquon Barkley and the Giants’ offense without him.

Baker was added to the injury report on Friday, indicating that he suffered the injury during the final practice of the week. It’s not a great sign for his Week 2 availability. The stud safety is one of the few bright spots on the Arizona defense. SHould he miss Week 2, Daniel Jones’ job will be slightly easier on Sunday.

Baker has been negotiating a contract extension all offseason but chose to report to camp on time. We’ve since learned, as reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, that Baker received a bonus from the team for this upcoming season, plus a $300k signing bonus along with incentives that were worked into this year’s deal. Whether or not Baker gets the deal he’s looking for is anyone’s guess, but there seems to be enough goodwill on both sides for the time being.

Baker made his expectations known to the franchise early in the offseason as he seeks to be paid as one of the top safeties in the league. Those negotiations have yet to yield any material headway towards a contract extension, forcing Baker’s absence from organized team activities last month. ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss previously reported that he expected Baker to be present when veterans report to camp, which has seemingly been confirmed by Schefter just three days before camp opens for the Cardinals. One of the last remaining elite athletes on the defensive side of the ball in Arizona could be an in-season trade candidate should negotiations continue as they have to this point.

Baker surprisingly showed up yesterday, it looks like the Cardinals may be willing to tack on some money to his contract to appease the pro-bowl safety. Gannon said he was not sure if Baker would be participating tomorrow. It would certainly behoove the Cardinals to make amends with one of their star holdouts after releasing DeAndre Hopkins.

Baker requested a trade in April and has been absent from voluntary OTAs all offseason. However, ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss reports Baker is expected to report to mandatory minicamp, marking the first time he’ll set foot on the field since the team hired Jonathan Gannon as head coach. Baker’s trade demands appear to have more to do about his current contract, not the team’s current direction, as Adam Schefter reported in April that Baker would like to be the highest-paid safety in the league. Baker reporting to mandatory activities could curry favor with newly minted GM Monti Ossenfort, who said he has been in talks with Baker this offseason, but there’s no guarantee a new deal gets done here. Baker is under contract for two more seasons, although it’s worth noting he has no guaranteed money left on his current deal.