Six-time Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker, who ranks second in the NFL in tackles this season, agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday night.

The 28-year-old veteran, who is in his eighth season with Arizona, could have been a free agent this coming offseason, sparking speculation that the Cardinals might trade him.

The deal would include $30 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network and ESPN. The two-time All-Pro reportedly will be the NFL’s third- or fourth-highest paid safety in terms of average annual salary.

Arizona enters the weekend at 7-7, one game behind the NFC West co-leaders, the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. The Cardinals are also ninth in the NFC but mathematically alive for a wild-card berth.

The Cardinals travel to face the 3-11 Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and Baker, who has 142 tackles this season, is just five shy of his career high with three games left in the regular season. Only Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin (144) has more tackles this season.

Baker, known as a strong locker room figure, has two sacks and three passes defensed this year. In 119 career games (109 starts), he has compiled 879 tackles, 9.5 sacks, seven interceptions, 37 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.

In 2020, Baker signed a four-year, $59 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid safety at the time.

–Field Level Media