Cardinals To Part Ways With Tyrann Mathieu?
- CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora tweets that he’d be surprised if safety Tyrann Mathieu was back with the Cardinals next season. The 25-year-old had a tongue-in-cheek reply to the tweet, asking “anybody gonna tell me anything?” Mathieu started all 16 games for the first time in his career in 2017, finishing with 78 tackles, seven passes defended, and two interceptions. The safety’s cap hit in 2018 will exceed $14MM.
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Latest On Kirk Cousins, “Final” Suitors
The Kirk Cousins sweepstakes is quickly heating up. Earlier today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported (via Twitter) that there were four “final” teams vying for the quarterback’s services: the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets and Vikings.
Denver, Minnesota, and New York have definitively been connected to Cousins for much of the offseason, but it’s mostly been speculation surrounding Arizona’s interest in the signal-caller. Following the retirement of Carson Palmer, the Cardinals currently aren’t rostering a single quarterback.
With the return of David Johnson and the presence of Larry Fitzgerald, Cousins would seemingly have an opportunity to flourish in Arizona. In a bit of an ironic twist, Cousins posted a picture of himself and Fitzgerald on Instagram yesterday, writing “Ran into Fitz in the airport yesterday. He’s a GREAT recruiter!” Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they’re currently operating with less cap space than the other three candidates.
Assuming these are indeed the final four teams vying for Cousins, the report seemingly takes several other potential suitors out of the mix. Primarily, the Browns, who are armed with $110MM-plus in cap space, seem to be out of the race for the quarterback.
Cousins had another productive season in 2017, completing 64.3-percent of his passes for 4,093 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. We heard yesterday that the Broncos would be going hard after Cousins, while “rampant speculation” around the Combine projects that Cousins is ultimately going to Minnesota
Chris Johnson Not Ready To Retire
Chris Johnson‘s 2017 season ended prematurely when he he was released by the Cardinals in October, but he is not ready to give up on football. The running back says he wants to “give it another go,” according to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). 
“I’m not done yet,” Johnson said. “I am still going strong. I got too much juice left.”
It remains to be seen whether the rest of the league agrees with CJ2K’s assessment. Johnson did not draw significant interest last offseason before re-signing with Arizona on a one-year deal just prior to the season opener. When he was cut loose one month later, there were no reports of Johnson getting calls from other teams.
Many assumed that Johnson was on the downslope of his career when he was let go by the Titans after the 2013 season. He answered critics in 2014 by averaging 4.3 yards per carry for the Jets and followed that up with 4.2 yards per tote for Arizona in 2015. When Johnson suffered a suffered a fractured tibia in Week 12, that opened the door for David Johnson, who has since emerged as one of the league’s premier young rushers. Over the last two years, C. Johnson has appeared in just eight games thanks to a groin injury in ’16 and his release last season.
Johnson averaged 1,328 yards per season over his six years with the Titans, including a 2,000+ yard campaign in 2009. His resume, which includes three Pro Bowl selections and one First-Team All-Pro nod, is impressive, but he’ll be celebrating his 33rd birthday in September.
Cardinals Undecided On Tyrann Mathieu’s 2018 Option
The Cardinals are evaluating the contract status of defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, general manager Steve Keim told reporters today, but the Arizona decision-maker sounded “very non-committal” about picking up Mathieu’s 2018 option, tweets Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com.
Mathieu, 25, inked a five-year, $62.5MM extension with the Cardinals prior to the 2016 campaign. That deal, on its face, locked the former third-round pick in Arizona through 2021, but the deal contains a roster bonus that will determine Mathieu’s fate with the club. Mathieu will collect a $5MM bonus if he’s on the Arizona roster on March 14. Not only that, but Mathieu’s entire 2018 base salary ($5.75MM) and $8MM of his $10.75MM 2019 base salary would become fully guaranteed.
The Cardinals could release Mathieu before mid-March and not be forced to make those payments, but the club would still be on the hook for $9.3MM in dead money. Arizona would create $4.8MM in cap space by cutting Mathieu, but it’s possible the two sides could work out a pay reduction or contract restructuring, allowing Mathieu to stay in the desert while the Cardinals save cash and cap space.
Mathieu was a Pro Bowler and one of the NFL’s best defensive backs as recently as 2015, but he’s struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness over the past two seasons. Last year, Mathieu managed to start all 16 games, but only graded as the league’s No. 61 cornerback among 121 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
Salary Cap Rollover For All 32 NFL Teams
This week, the NFLPA updated its salary cap report to include the rollover amounts for all 32 teams in the NFL. The Browns, as expected, lead the league in $58.9MM in cap space rolled over from the previous season. Here is the full rundown of each team’s rollover amounts:
After the Browns, the 49ers ($56MM), Titans ($30.3MM), Jaguars ($27.8MM), and Jets ($17.3MM) boast the highest rollover amounts in the league. The Dolphins ($69K), Saints ($287K), Giants ($365K), Eagles ($514K), and the Seahawks ($547K) have the least amount of rollover. In total, teams carried over nearly $340MM from last season, good for an average of $10.6MM per club.
NFL Awards Compensatory Picks To 15 Teams
The NFL has awarded 15 compensatory draft picks to teams, as directed by the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The compensatory pick system provides additional picks to teams who lose more/better qualifying free agents in the previous year than gained.
This year, the 32 comp picks were dispersed to 15 different teams. Here is the complete rundown:
Round 3
- No. 97 overall – Cardinals
- No. 98 overall – Texans
- No. 99 overall – Broncos
- No. 100 overall – Bengals
Round 4
- No. 133 overall – Packers
- No. 134 overall – Cardinals
- No. 135 overall – Giants
- No. 136 overall – Patriots
- No. 137 overall – Cowboys
Round 5
- No. 170 overall – Bengals
- No. 171 overall – Cowboys
- No. 172 overall – Packers
- No. 173 overall – Cowboys
- No. 174 overall – Packers
Round 6
- No. 207 overall – Packers
- No. 208 overall – Cowboys
- No. 209 overall – Chiefs
- No. 210 overall – Raiders
- No. 211 overall – Texans
- No. 212 overall – Raiders
- No. 213 overall – Vikings
- No. 214 overall – Texans
- No. 215 overall – Ravens
- No. 216 overall – Raiders
- No. 217 overall – Raiders
- No. 218 overall – Vikings
Round 7
- No. 251 overall – Chargers
- No. 252 overall – Bengals
- No. 253 overall – Bengals
- No. 254 overall – Cardinals
- No. 255 overall – Buccaneers
- No. 256 overall – Falcons
The Bengals, Cowboys, Packers and Raiders lead the way in comp picks this year with four. The Cardinals and Texans each snagged three, the Vikings own two, and the Falcons, Ravens, Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Patriots, Giants, and Buccaneers each have one.
Cardinals Could Look To Add Up To Four QBs
- With Carson Palmer retiring, and fellow quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert, Drew Stanton and Matt Barkley due to hit free agency, the Cardinals could be in the market for up to four quarterbacks this offseason, according to Mike Jurecki of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (on Twitter). The team will obviously seek out a starter to replace Palmer, but Jurecki believes they’ll also add at least one quarterback in the draft and add another through free agency to create depth. A combination of Palmer, Stanton and Gabbert led Arizona to an 8-8 record and third-place finish in the NFC West last year.
Steve Keim On Cardinals' QB Search
- Just like 2013, Steve Keim‘s first year as the Cardinals‘ GM, Arizona has a void at quarterback. During a recent interview on 98.7 FM, Keim addressed that need (article via Vince Marotta of ArizonaSports.com). He indicated that the team would be active in the free agent market, which is as rich in QB talent as it has been at any time in recent memory, and he did not rule out the possibility of a trade. Of course, whether they do so via free agency, a trade, or the draft, the Cardinals will need to acquire at least two signal-callers this offseason.
Poll: Who Will Sign Kirk Cousins?
With less than a month until free agency begins, Kirk Cousins looks to be — barring an 11th-hour Redskins franchise tag he would fight — close to signing a long-term contract with the team of his choice.
It’s an incredibly unique situation, and teams with disparate profiles figure to make runs at signing the 29-year-old quarterback. Rebuilding teams, contending teams and operations that would seemingly be contenders if supplied a quarterback are going to pursue Cousins. So, where will he go?
The Jets and Browns are going to have the most money to chase Cousins, and the former makes sense as a destination. New York surprised many last season by winning five games and finishing well off the pace for the No. 1 pick, which many predicted the rebuilding team would secure. The Jets could have more than $90MM in cap space after a few sensible roster moves, and despite their troubles in recent years, could make a case they are a young team who could build a long-term foundation around Cousins.
Cousins has said repeatedly that after making more than $44MM the past two years he wants to play for a contending team. The Browns, though, have a staggering amount of cap space at $110MM-plus. They could sell a free agent QB on their ability to construct a foundation, but their past does not inspire much confidence. And this, by just about every indication to this point, seems like the year they draft a quarterback.
The Bills made a surprise run to the playoffs last season, but Brandon Beane said upon being hired he doesn’t plan to make many high-cost free agent signings. Considering this figures to be the most expensive free agent in NFL history, it’s difficult to envision a Bills push for Cousins. And Tyrod Taylor may not be completely out of the picture yet.
The Broncos and Cardinals are in similar positions as recent contenders who have fallen off the pace a bit, and neither will have the cap space to outflank the Jets or Browns. Both saw quarterback play lower their ceilings last season, and the Cardinals saw their longtime starter retire and his backups’ contracts expire. Denver has both Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian under contract but has made no secret about wanting to upgrade — via free agency or the draft — with that desire presumably being centered around complementing the core players remaining from the Super Bowl season.
Both the Broncos and Jets are rumored to be gearing up for entrances into the Cousins sweepstakes, and the Bovada sports book has these two as the early frontrunners. However, both the Vikings and Jaguars fit the profile of franchises that could use Cousins as a possible springboard to a Super Bowl. How serious are they about this, though?
The Jaguars may have complications because of Blake Bortles‘ wrist surgery. The embattled starter not being able to pass a physical come mid-March will guarantee his $19MM fifth-year option salary and cloud a potential Cousins pursuit. Jacksonville’s current plan is to keep Bortles, but is a chance at Cousins too tempting to avoid?
The Vikings would make sense as well but may opt to stick with Case Keenum via franchise tag. However, Cousins has proven more than Keenum, and although he would make for a costlier expense, Minnesota being on the doorstep of its first Super Bowl berth in 40-plus years may make ditching their 2017 setup for Cousins a worthwhile gamble. The Vikings do have several core players entering contract years, which could make a near-$30MM-AAV Cousins accord complicated. Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Stefon Diggs and Danielle Hunter are four who fit that profile. How much will that factor into a Cousins push?
So, where does Cousins end up?
Does he stick to his winning-situation statements and avoid teams who have struggled in recent years, or can the Browns or Jets submit an offer he can’t refuse? Can the Broncos make a sales pitch that their history surrounding a UFA QB with championship-caliber talent would be worth sacrificing a bit of cash, or is their nucleus’ window closing to the point Cousins looks elsewhere? How serious are the Cardinals and Bills in this derby? And how much would the Vikings or Jaguars entering the fray change the outlook of this high-stakes process? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald To Play In 2018
Larry Fitzgerald isn’t going anywhere. In a radio interview, Cardinals coach Steve Wilks told 98.7 FM in Arizona that the wide receiver will return for the 2018 season. 
“It’s a very exciting time for all of us. To all the Arizona Cardinals fans around the world, it’s very exciting because Larry mentioned to me last night that he is coming back for the 2018 season,” Wilks said. “I’m extremely excited…You’re talking about a future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer. I couldn’t be more excited to have Larry coming back next year. He is totally committed — those are his words — so we’re ecstatic to have him be part of the Arizona Cardinals.”
The 11-time Pro Bowler is now set to take the field for his 15th NFL season. Even at his advanced age, Fitzgerald is still among the best at his position. After moving to the slot in 2015, the veteran has topped 100 catches and 1,000 yards in each season and has cemented his status as one of the game’s all-time greats. This past season, despite being the league’s oldest wideout, Fitzgerald caught a career-high 109 passes and tallied 1,156 receiving yards with six touchdowns.
Thanks to the one-year extension signed in November, the Cardinals have Fitzgerald under contract for $11MM in 2018. The deal includes a no-trade clause and incentives that can give him an extra $1MM if he reaches No. 2 on the league’s all-time receiving list. Fitzgerald can hit that marker with 92 catches to top tight end Tony Gonzalez’s 1,325 career catches. That’s very doable since Fitzgerald has averaged 108 grabs over the past three years. He also only needs 390 receiving yards to pass Terrell Owens’ 15,934 for No. 2 all-time.
This week, the Cardinals promoted assistant receivers coach Kevin Garver to WR coach, a move that reportedly pleased Fitzgerald and may have nudged him towards playing. Quarterback Carson Palmer and coach Bruce Arians are gone, but Garver will be among the familiar faces for Fitz in 2018.