2024 could be the season the Dallas Cowboys come out swinging at the NFL trade deadline.
After a couple of ugly losses early in the year, the Cowboys have at least temporarily righted the ship, winning their last two contests to get back to 3-2, within a game of the Washington Commanders for first place in the NFC East.
Having signed quarterback Dak Prescott to a record-breaking four-year extension, it's no secret that the Cowboys are all-in on trying to win Super Bowls. But in order to do so in a hotly-contested NFC, upgrades may well be a necessity.
Safety is one position the Cowboys could look to improve, and one safety who could be on the trade market stands out as a potential game-changer.
Recently, Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department identified Arizona Cardinals free safety Budda Baker as a midseason trade candidate, predicting he would land in Dallas by the trade deadline.
"The Cowboys have had sub-par safety play so far this season, as both Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker posted grades from Pro Football Focus below 60 through the first four weeks of the campaign," the authors said. "Meanwhile, Baker was recently listed on B/R's NFL Trade Block Big Board column."
Baker, 28, is in the final year of a four-year, $59 million contract, so it makes sense that the Cardinals would look to move him if they don't believe they'll be a playoff team this year. He's a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro who would be a massive upgrade over the Cowboys' in-house options.
If Dallas can land a superstar like Baker, they will have one of the most formidable secondaries in the league. That should give them a crucial edge against the other top powers in the NFC the rest of the way.
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