Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker has been compared to Tyrann Mathieu ever since he was drafted. He is the same sort of versatile player and Baker replaced Mathieu in the starting lineup in 2018.
Baker will now wear Mathieu’s former number.
He announced via social media he was changing his uniform to No. 32.
It is the number he wore in high school and college, but Mathieu wore it when Baker was drafted in the second round in 2017.
The move to No. 32 also benefits fellow safety D.J. Swearinger. Swearinger wore No. 36 the last time he was with the Cardinals. Now with Baker moving from 36 to 32, Swearinger can have his old number back.
Both are expected to be the Cardinals’ starting safeties in the defense put together by new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
So the numbers on the field will be familiar for fans. They will just be worn by different players.
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