The Philadelphia Eagles’ secondary could use some help after defensive back Avante Maddox suffered a torn pectoral muscle in the club’s win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, likely knocking him out for the remainder of the season.
Mario Goodrich, who went undrafted in 2022 before signing with the Eagles as a free agent, replaced Maddox for the first action of his NFL career. His reward? Lining up against Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, whom Minnesota aimed to keep away from Philadelphia cornerback Darius Slay throughout the evening. As one would expect, it didn’t go too well.
With Maddox sidelined and Philly’s secondary not having a ton of depth, Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal suggests that the Eagles should attempt to trade for Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker.
Not only is Baker one of the NFL’s top safeties, but he is also very versatile, having the ability to play nickel cornerback (which is exactly where Maddox played). Baker’s contract expires in Arizona at the end of the 2024 campaign, and with the Cards appearing set to begin rebuilding, his future with the team is certainly in question.
The 27-year-old was originally taken by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then, he has stamped his name among the league’s best defensive backs, making five trips to the Pro Bowl and earning a pair of First-Team All-Pro selections.
Last season, Baker racked up 111 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and seven passes defended in 15 games.
Baker logged five tackles in Arizona’s Week 1 loss to the Washington Commanders. He then missed the squad’s loss against the New York Giants on Sunday due to a hamstring injury.
The Eagles have jumped out to a 2-0 start as they look to make it back to the Super Bowl for the second straight year. However, it would certainly behoove them to address the issues with their secondary, and Arizona may be the perfect place to look.
