The Cardinals made Budda Baker the best-paid safety in the league this year and he’s been playing up to that contract in recent weeks.
Baker missed the team’s first October game after hurting his thumb, but returned to play at a very high level in three wins to close out the month’s action. He had 10 tackles and a sack in a rout of the Jets, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception in a rout of the Cowboys and added another interception in last Sunday’s overtime win over the previously unbeaten Seahawks.
The only black mark was that Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf ran him down after he returned that last interception 90 yards.
Baker finished the month with 31 tackles, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in total. The NFL named Baker the NFC defensive player of the month for October and he’ll have a bye this weekend to enjoy the honor.