Reports: Cardinals star safety Budda Baker wants out of Arizona

Budda Baker, the Arizona Cardinals' Pro Bowl safety and a team captain, has reportedly asked for a trade.

According to a social media posts from NFL Media and ESPN insiders, Baker wants out of Arizona. The seven-year pro, five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro scrubbed his Twitter profile of references to Arizona or the Cardinals on Thursday, and posted a GIF of NBA legend Michael Jordan saying "That's all I needed. That's all I needed for him to do that and it became personal with me."

The graphic could be in reference to new general manager Monti Ossenfort, but it isn't clear to whom the post is directed nor why. Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon have spoken highly of Baker in public comments, yet the reports indicate there is some sort of rift between Baker and the team's decision makers.

ESPN reported that Baker "has long been unhappy with his situation this offseason." Insider Adam Schefter reported that Baker informed the Cardinals two months ago that he wanted to be traded or be given a new contract to make him the NFL's highest paid safety.

Baker is currently sixth on that list of players' salaries for 2023. Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers is the highest paid safety, his salary with an average annual value of $19 million.

Baker has two years left on a contract extension he signed in 2020. He's known for flying around the field delivering big hits, playing with reckless abandon and being a locker room leader, as seen in a passionate speech to teammates last season on HBO's 'Hard Knocks' in which he said how tired he is of losing.

The speech almost brought Baker to tears as he implored his teammates to work harder and do better to turn its fortunes around. But the Cardinals went 4-13, and Baker ended the season unable to play due to a shoulder fracture suffered in a game on Christmas Night.

Baker did offer a message to Cardinals fans after the news of his desire to be traded broke. He told Cardinals fans he loves them.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals shared a Twitter video Friday early evening that indicates the day they appear set to reveal their new uniform design, April 20. The reveal comes in the wake of the Baker trade demand, preparation for Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon's first NFL Draft in charge and allegations from former executives against team owner and president Michael Bidwill regarding using "burner" phones and an unsettling workplace environment with the organization.

The team has come out strongly in response to the allegations.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Budda Baker scrubs Twitter account, reportedly asked Arizona Cardinals for trade