The idea of Budda Baker landing in Detroit sounds like a win on paper. In reality, it would probably be a sign that something has gone sideways for the Lions where they least want it to: safety.
SB Nation’s Jarrett Bailey included the Lions among his 61 predictions for the season, and one of them has Detroit making a midseason move for the Arizona Cardinals standout. Bailey wrote, "After dismantling the Cardinals [in Week 5 of the 2026 season], the Lions go into their bye week and make a big addition, trading for the Cardinals’ star safety to help shore up a secondary that needs help."
That’s a notable projection for a few reasons. Baker is 30, the Cardinals are in a rebuild, and his name fits the kind of trade deadline chatter that usually follows a veteran on a non-contending team. He’s not the same coverage player he once was, but he still brings plenty as a tackler and can move around the defense in different roles.
For Detroit, though, the bigger issue is what a move like that would say about the current safety room. If Brad Holmes is pushed into trading for Baker, it would suggest the Lions needed outside help at the position in a way that doesn’t fit his usual reluctance to go all-in. It could also mean Detroit had to beat out other teams for Baker’s services, which would only make the deal more complicated.
And then there’s the uncomfortable part for Lions fans: a Baker trade would likely point to trouble with Brian Branch and/or Kerby Joseph.
Joseph missed the final 11 games last season because of what appears to be a chronic knee issue, and there still aren’t clear answers on his status. What he can do on the practice field this summer will be one of the main stories of training camp.
Branch, meanwhile, is working back from a torn Achilles suffered last December. There’s optimism that he could return quickly, but that remains a question until it’s actually proven. His timeline could stretch anywhere from Week 1 to December, when he’d be a year removed from the injury.
Baker would make sense for plenty of teams if he becomes available. But if the Lions are the ones forced to make that kind of move, it would mean the situation with Joseph and/or Branch went in a direction Detroit never wanted to see.
In Other News...
Kerby Joseph Just Put Lions Fans On Edge Before Camp
With rookies set to report to training camp Saturday and veterans due in Monday, the Lions are about to get their first real look at where everyone stands physically. Players have to pass a physical before taking part, and anyone not quite there can be placed on the PUP or NFI list, which makes every early camp update feel a little more meaningful than usual.
Kerby Joseph is one of the names drawing the most attention after a knee injury cost him most of last season and left the Lions handling his return carefully. He sounded upbeat about his status entering camp, but Dan Campbell made it clear the real test comes once the work ramps up and the knee is pushed in the middle of practice, which is why this one is still worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookies Are Arriving With One Huge Question Hanging Over Them
The Lions 2026 rookie class is about to take another step, with the group scheduled to report to the Allen Park Performance Center on July 25. For Detroit, the early focus is on a couple of newcomers who could matter quickly, especially offensive tackle Blake Miller and defensive end Derrick Moore, both of whom are expected to be in the mix sooner rather than later as the team keeps building out its roster for the season ahead.
Miller has already spent offseason work sharpening technique and getting more comfortable with the playbook, which is the kind of foundation the Lions want from a young lineman before the games start counting. Moores path looks a little more crowded on the edge, where veteran D.J. Wonnum is expected to open the season in front of him and Detroit has added more bodies at the position, leaving the rookie to fight for snaps in passing situations while the rest of the depth chart sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Are The Lions Really The NFLs Most Talented Roster
The Lions head toward the 2026 season with a roster that still looks loaded at the top, even after some familiar veterans moved on and opened up bigger jobs for younger players. A league-wide ESPN poll only added to that impression, placing Detroit first overall and putting nine Lions players inside the top 10 at their positions, a reminder that this teams ceiling is being driven by premium talent rather than depth alone.
Penei Sewell and Jahmyr Gibbs both stood out in those rankings, but the broader takeaway is even more striking for Detroit: a lot of the names carrying the roster are still very young. That makes the Lions easy to believe in for now, but it also leaves the real question hanging over the group as the season approaches, because talent at the top is one thing and proving that a younger core can absorb the loss of players like Alex Anzalone and Taylor Decker is another. [Read more 🡒]