- Selected by the Cardinals in the second round (36th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Washington and appeared in 46 games (36 starts) during his first three seasons with Arizona.
- Earned his second Pro Bowl nod (first as a safety) in 2019, becoming the first player in franchise history selected to the Pro Bowl as a special teamer and as a position player. Started all 16 games and led all NFL DBs with a career-high 147 tackles, including a league-high 104 solo tackles, and posted seven tackles for loss, six passes defensed, six QB hits, a half-sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
- In 2018, appeared in 14 games (13 starts) and totaled 107 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three QB pressures, four QB hits, two passes defensed, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries (one returned 36 yards for his first career TD);Â one of just three NFL safeties with 100+ tackles, 2.0+ sacks and 8+ tackles for loss in 2018, according to league statistics.
- Named first-team All-Pro and was voted to the Pro Bowl for his work on special teams as a rookie in '17 after he led the Cardinals and ranked third in the NFL with 16 special teams tackles. One of just four rookies named to the Pro Bowl in '17 and became just the fifth Cardinals rookie since the 1970 merger to be named to the Pro Bowl.
- In his first career NFL start, recorded 12 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery at Houston in Week 11 of the '17 season. Became the first rookie in 20 years and the first Cardinals player ever to register 10+ tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles in a game.Â
- During a remarkable prep career at Bellevue High School, won five team state titles (3 in football, 2 in track & field) and eight individual state titles in track & field. In football, he played on three consecutive 14-0 teams that won three consecutive 3A state championships.
- Given first name is Bishard. Nicknamed "Budda" by his mother and aunt when he was a child and the name stuck.
The Cardinals acquired Baker in the second round (36th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft after trading up nine spots (from 45th to 36th) to acquire the University of Washington product. Baker appeared in 46 games (36 starts) in his first three NFL seasons.
2019: Named to his second Pro Bowl, becoming the eighth Cardinals safety to earn the honor and the first player in franchise history selected as a special teamer and position player ... also became the 15th player in team history selected to multiple Pro Bowls in his first three NFL seasons ... led all NFL DBs and ranked fourth overall with a career-high 147 tackles, including a league-leading 104 solo tackles, according to league statistics ... started all 16 games for the first time in his career and had seven tackles for loss, six passes defensed, six QB hits, a half-sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery ... led Cardinals DBs with nine tackles in the season-opener vs. Det (9/8) ... matched a team high with 12 tackles and forced a Lamar Jackson fumble @ Bal (9/15) ... led Arizona's DBs with eight tackles vs. Atl (10/13) ... collected a team-high nine tackles, two QB pressures and a pass defensed for a unit that totaled a season-high 8.0 sacks and held the Giants to 156 net passing yards @ NYG (10/20) ... matched a career high with 14 tackles including one tackle for loss @ NO (10/27); dropped Latavius Murray for a one-yard loss on second-and-one in the third quarter against the Saints ... registered a team-high 13 tackles, a career-high-tying two tackles for loss and a career-high three passes defensed vs. SF (10/31); became just the third NFL player with at least 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and three passes defensed in a game since 1999 (Vincent Rey in 2013 and Derrick Brooks in 1999); brought down Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman behind the line of scrimmage and broke up third down passes from Jimmy Garoppolo intended for George Kittle and Emmanuel Sanders to force 49ers punts ... led the Cardinals with 11 tackles, deflected two passes (one of which was intercepted by Jordan Hicks) and recovered a Jameis Winston fumble in the fourth quarter @ TB (11/10); marked the second time since 1999 a Cardinals player had at least 10 tackles, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery in a game – the other occurrence was also Baker (11/19/2017 @ Hou) ... led the team with a career-high-tying 14 tackles, including one tackle for loss, and added four QB pressures @ SF (11/17) ... registered a team-high 12 tackles, including one tackle for loss vs. LAR (12/1); marked the fifth consecutive game in which he totaled 10+ tackles, the longest streak of his career ... totaled a team-high nine tackles including a two-yard tackle for loss of Chris Carson @ Sea (12/22); part of a defense that allowed season lows in points (13), TDs (one), first downs (13), third down conversions (one), total net yards (224), net passing yards (133) and completion percentage (51.6%) against the Seahawks ... matched a game high with 13 tackles, including one tackle for loss, and notched a half-sack in the season finale @ LAR (12/29).
2018: Totaled 107 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two passes defensed, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries (one returned for a TD) in 14 games (13 starts) during his first season as a full-time starter … had a team-high 11 tackles in the season-opener vs. Was (9/9) … led Arizona's DBs with 10 tackles, including two for loss and a half-sack that led to a missed FG attempt on the next play vs. Chi (9/23) … notched six tackles for a unit that did not allow a third-down conversion vs. Sea (9/30); added two special teams tackles against the Seahawks … recorded a career-high 14 tackles (12 solo), one for loss, a QB hit, a sack and a pass defensed for a unit that forced five turnovers @ SF (10/7); sacked C.J. Beathard for a nine-yard loss in the fourth quarter … returned a Kirk Cousins fumble 36 yards for his first-career TD to tie the game at 10 late in the second quarter @ Min (10/14); marked his first score on any level since a four-yard TD run in the state championship game for Bellevue High School vs. Eastside Catholic (12/6/13); had 11 tackles, including two for loss, against the Vikings … recorded six tackles, a QB hit and a pass defensed for a unit that held the NFL's top-ranked scoring offense to a season-low 26 points @ KC (11/11) … inactive (knee) vs. Oak (11/11) and @ LAC (11/25) … collected seven tackles and a QB hit for a defense that held Aaron Rodgers to a 4.66 yards-per-pass-attempt average (233 yards on 50 attempts) and a 79.8 passer rating @ GB (12/2) … halted the Lions first offensive possession by forcing and recovering a LeGarrette Blount fumble at the Cardinals 32-yard line vs. Det (12/9); added five tackles for a defense that limited the Lions to a season-low 96 net passing yards … registered his fifth 10-tackle game of the season with a team-high 12 for a defense that held the Seahawks to 109 net passing yards @ Sea (12/30).
2017: Played all 16 games, starting the final seven, and led all Cardinals rookies with 61 tackles, adding three tackles for loss, one sack, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and a QB hit for the NFL's sixth-ranked defense … tied for third in the NFL with 16 special teams tackles, earning first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors as a special teamer; became the first Cardinals rookie since Patrick Peterson (2011) to be selected to the Pro Bowl and just the fourth player in franchise history to be selected as a special teamer … notched a special teams tackle in his NFL debut @ Det (9/10) … tallied two tackles in just three defensive snaps and a game-high three special teams tackles @ Ind (9/17) … saw action on defense and special teams, notching a game-high three special teams tackles @ SF (11/5) … saw increased snaps when S Tyvon Branch left the game with a knee injury, totaling seven tackles, his first-career pass defensed and two special teams tackles vs. Sea (11/9) … collected a 12 tackles, one for loss, his first-career sack, one pass defensed, two forced fumbles, one recovery, a QB hit and a special teams tackle in his first-career start @ Hou (11/19); only NFL player with at least 10 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles and a recovery in a game in 2017 … led the team with 12 tackles in the Cardinals shutout win vs. NYG (12/24) … had three tackles in the season finale win @ Sea (12/31), his first game in his home state of Washington since defeating rival Washington State in the Huskies' regular season finale in 2016.
In three seasons at Washington, Baker started all 40 games he appeared in and totaled 200 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, five INTs, 24 passes defended and three forced fumbles … a consensus NCAA All-American in 2016, was also a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 selection … declared for the draft following his junior season … started all 14 games and led the Huskies with 71 total tackles and 10 tackles for loss, while adding a career-high three sacks with two INTs, eight passes defensed and a forced fumble as a junior in 2016 … named first-team All-American by the Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Football Writers and FOX Sports … earned second-team All-American honors from the Associated Press, Football Coaches, CBS Sports and USA Today ... semi-finalist for the Bednarik Award (nation's top defensive player) and Jim Thorpe Award (nation's top defensive back) … also named second-team Academic All-Pac-12 … in Washington's College Football Playoff semifinal matchup vs. Alabama had six tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed … named first-team All-Pac-12 after starting all 12 games he appeared in and recorded 49 tackles, two INTs, 1.5 tackles for loss and a career-high nine passes defensed as a sophomore in 2015 … named honorable mention Academic All-Pac-12 … as a true freshman in '14, started all 14 games at safety and earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors after he recorded a career-high 80 tackles, a sack, an INT, seven passes defensed and two forced fumbles ... named freshman All-American by scout.com ... co-winner of the UW's Travis Spring Most Outstanding Freshman award ... notched first-career INT (a one-handed, circus catch) vs. Oklahoma State in the Cactus Bowl.
Played safety, running back and was a return specialist on three straight 14-0 teams at Bellevue (WA) High School ... won three consecutive 3A state championships ... Associated Press and Seattle Times State Player of the Year for 2013 and the 2013-14 Seattle Times Male Athlete of the Year (all sports) ... also first-team All-State at both DB and all-purpose and was the 3A state Player of the Year ... MaxPreps All-America first-team selection as a senior ... rushed for 101 yards and a score as Bellevue cruised to its sixth straight title with a 52-20 win over Eastside Catholic in the 2013 state title game ... earned MaxPreps Junior All-America first-team honors in 2012 ... scored on a 61-yard run and a 71-yard punt return in the 2012 state championship game ... named to MaxPreps Sophomore All-America second-team in 2011 ... scored on an 89-yard kickoff return in Belleuve's 2011 state title victory over O'Dea ... also an outstanding sprinter on the track team ... as a senior, led Bellevue to the state title, winning the 100 meters, the 200 meters and the 4x100 relay ... won the 3A state title in the 100 meters (10.77), the 4x100 relay (41.63) and the 4x400 relay (3:20.12) while taking third in the long jump (22-08.25) as a junior in 2013, when Bellevue won the team title ... won the 4x100 and the 4x400 and took fourth in the long jump and fifth in the 200 as a sophomore in 2012.
