Tyrann Mathieu - Pro Football Rumors

Reaction To Tyrann Mathieu’s Extension

August 2nd, 2016 at 8:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After months of negotiation, the Cardinals and defensive back Tyrann Mathieu agreed today on the terms of a five-year, $62.5MM extension that contains $40MM guaranteed. Of course, that $40MM figure is unlikely to refer to full guarantees, as the current leader in that metric among safeties — the Patriots’ Devin McCourty — only secured $22MM fully guaranteed. Still, the average annual value of the deal indicates that it’s possibly market-shifting, and it engendered quite a bit of reaction. Let’s take a look at some of the responses to Mathieu’s brand new contract:

The Cardinals have apparently worked injury protection into the deal, presumably adding language that would protect the club in the event that Mathieu suffers another major injury, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link). Mathieu, of course, has torn an ACL in two of his first three seasons in the league, so it’s understandable that Arizona wants to guard itself.
Mathieu’s extension pays him $12.5MM annually, and that figure — which is between the top of the cornerback and safety markets — makes sense because Matheiu shifts between both positions, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. Mathieu’s versatility, to be sure, makes his deal a bit difficult to evaluate since he spends much of his time in the slot.
Now that he’s earning that $12.5MM annual salary, Mathieu has surpassed the Vikings’ Harrison Smith to become the NFL’s highest-paid safety, and Mathieu’s average is also $1.7MM more than Eric Berry will make if he signs his franchise tag with the Chiefs, details Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (all Twitter links), who adds that the Cardinals are placing a lot of faith in Mathieu considering his aforementioned injury history.
The Cardinals value Mathieu because he’s able to target specific offensive weapons, as Matt Bowen of ESPN Insider writes (subscription required). Mathieu can “dictate matchups,” according to Bowen, lining up against either a slot receiver or a tight end, or instead playing near the line to stop the run or blitz off the edge.
Risk is built into Mathieu’s new deal because of his lengthy injury past, but Arizona isn’t afraid to take a gamble, as evidenced by the fact that it drafted Mathieu in the first place, opine Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Mathieu is perhaps the msot valuable piece on a Cardinals defense that includes All Pro Patrick Peterson, and the club suffered immensely after Mathieu went down late last season.

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Ramsey, Davis

July 28th, 2016 at 1:48pm CST by Zachary Links

49ers defensive lineman Kaleb Ramsey retired from football today, as Cam Inman of The Mercury News writes. Ramsey, a draft pick of the 49ers in 2014, was sidelined for all of his rookie year with an Achilles injury. In 2015, he was on San Francisco’s practice squad and was also hit with a four-game suspension for a PED violation.

“The 49ers took a chance on drafting me and made my NFL dreams come true,” Ramsey said in a statement. “Unfortunately, my career has been cut short, as I have made the decision to step away from the game to concentrate on other priorities in my life.”

As shown on Roster Resource, Ramsey would have faced an uphill battle to make the Niners’ roster given the number of defensive linemen they have under contract.

Here’s more out of the NFC West:

Safety Tyrann Mathieu took to Twitter earlier this week and seemed to express frustration at the state of his contract talks with the Cardinals (sic). “Money mean nothing, I want my respect,” Mathieu tweeted. Recently, Cardinals GM Steve Keim expressed optimism about getting a deal done with the player formerly known as Honey Badger.
Anthony Davis has been taking jabs at the 49ers for the better part of a year now, but agent Drew Rosenhaus says all of the animosity is in the rear view mirror. “I do believe that he has patched things up with the organization,” Rosenhaus told PFT’s Mike Florio. “He has been in contact with the organization and I also believe with the coaching staff and they’ve rebuilt that relationship. So whatever damage took place in my estimation has been repaired.” Davis submitted the necessary paperwork to come out of retirement earlier this week. One report indicated that the Niners are “wary” of getting involved with the mercurial offensive lineman again.
Rams running back Tre Mason has been at the center of five different incidents involving cops in the past four months, according to TMZ Sports. The report also states that Mason’s family is concerned about his well being. Mason was arrested in March for resisting arrest, possession of cannabis, and reckless driving. Fisher told reporters in June that the Rams had to prepare as if the running back would not be with the club after that incident, but a recent report indicated that a decision had not been made on whether Mason would be involved in training camp. Mason could be facing a suspension from the league office for his episode earlier this year.

Cardinals Want To Extend Calais Campbell

July 20th, 2016 at 11:20am CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this year, when the Cardinals traded traded for standout defensive end Chandler Jones, many believed that Calais Campbell‘s time in Arizona was running short. Apparently, that might not be the case. Cardinals GM Steve Keim says that he is “hopeful” about reaching a new deal with Campbell, as Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com writes.

“Hopeful, but people ask all the time whether I think we’re close or we’re not. I don’t think it’s fair for us or the player to make a comment because, really, I don’t know what close is anymore. We’ll just continue to stay aggressive, though,” Keim said of talks with Campbell and Tyrann Mathieu. “That’s the one thing I’ve said earlier: Whether it’s signing players, whether it’s readjusting guys who need to be signed for extensions, we’ll continue to stay aggressive and try to keep our foot on the gas pedal.”

The defensive lineman is slated to carry a hefty $15.25MM cap number this year with a salary of $9.5MM. After the Cards selected Robert Nkemdiche and acquired Jones, many got the impression that there wouldn’t be plans to keep the University of Miami product for the long-term. After all, Jones is also slated to hit the open market after the 2016 season and Arizona may have to pay Jones an average annual value of $20MM on a multi-year deal.

Campbell, 30, earned his second-straight Pro Bowl nod in 2015. Last year, Campbell tallied 61 tackles, 5.0 sacks, and 3 pass deflections in the regular season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Mathieu, Megatron, Saints

June 25th, 2016 at 11:56am CST by Ben Levine

Patrick Peterson understands what it takes to negotiate a new contract with the Cardinals. For what it’s worth, the cornerback believes teammate and fellow defensive back Tyrann Mathieu‘s discussions with the organization won’t take particularly long.

“I was in kind of a similar situation when it was time for me to sign a new deal and obviously wanting a new deal,” Peterson said on PFT Live (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “Like I tell Tyrann all the time, let his agent handle that and also it’s gonna be a long, drawn out process, you just have to be patient. I know it will happen, just don’t know when it will happen but the Cardinals organization understands what Tyrann means to the football team, to the community, and when you have a top notch player like that, that just doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and we have great ownership upstairs and the General Manager and the president and owner of the team. I mean those guys know at the end of the day what Tyrann means and like I said, I’m quite sure that the deal will get done here pretty soon.”

Reports indicated that the organization was ready to make Mathieu the highest-paid safety in the league, and talks seemed to be progressing. However, earlier this month, negotiations suddenly stalled, but there’s still optimism that a deal could be finalized by training camp.

As we await clarity on the Mathieu/Cardinals negotiations, let’s look at some more NFC notes…

Recently-retired wideout Calvin Johnson held his “Catching Dreams” football camp today, and the former Lions star told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter) that he won’t be returning to football. “I’m not coming back,” Johnson said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “You don’t have to worry about that.” The 30-year-old was clear that if he did return to the NFL, the comeback would be with the Lions.
The hiring process for Saints assistant head coach Dan Campbell was more of a “recruitment” than an “interview,” coach Sean Payton told Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Fortunately, Payton had an edge after having coached Campbell for nearly a decade.
Meanwhile, Campbell, the Dolphins‘ interim head coach last season, was lured by the opportunity to work with Payton. “To me, it was a pretty easy sell,” he told Triplett. “And the biggest factor was Coach Payton. I know who he is, I know what he’s about. And hey, man, he’s proven himself as a coach.”

Tyrann Mathieu, Cardinals’ Extension Talks On Hold For Now

June 12th, 2016 at 2:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Though a report nearly a month ago indicated that the Cardinals were nearing an extension with defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, talks are now on hold as the club breaks for the summer, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). The two sides had hoped to reach a deal by now, but a long-term pact could still be hammered out before training camp, per Rapoport.

Arizona is reportedly willing to make Mathieu the highest-paid safety in the league, and Rapoport confirms that information, adding that any extension is expected to come in north of $11MM per season. Currently, the Chiefs’ Eric Berry earns the most on an annual basis among safeties, although the Kansas City defender is under the franchise tag. Vikings safety Harrison Smith, who last week signed an extension that pays him $10.25MM per season, is number two. Of course, Mathieu also spends a great deal of time at cornerback, and an $11MM average annual value would rank eighth among CBs.

“I just want to get paid as a top defender,” Mathieu told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com last month. “I don’t want to be slotted as a corner or a safety, because I’m not Patrick Peterson and I’m not Earl Thomas. I’m kind of different than both of those guys, but I still have the same type of impact on the game as those guys do. I just want to be paid as a top defender, and however that looks on paper, that’s what I want.”

In 2015, Mathieu earned a Pro Bowl selection and was named first-team All Pro. In his 14 games, Mathieu recorded five interceptions, 89 tackles, one sack, 17 passes defensed, and graded out as the No. 1 cornerback in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cole’s Latest: Foles, Jets, Mathieu, Nelson

June 6th, 2016 at 8:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a quick look at the latest reporting from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, who touched on a number of topics today in a series of videos…

The Rams hope to trade quarterback Nick Foles before the beginning of the 2016 season, according to Cole. Los Angeles has plenty of quarterback depth after drafting Jared Goff first overall and re-signing restricted free agent Case Keenum, and Foles looks to be the odd man out. After drawing trade interest at draft time, Foles is sitting out OTAs in order to register his displeasure with the Rams. Because Los Angeles has already paid Foles his guaranteed $6MM roster bonus, an acquiring club would only be the hook for his $1.75MM base salary, not an exorbitant price for a backup quarterback. The Jets, per Cole, have not inquired on Foles’ availability.
Harrison Smith‘s extension with the Vikings will pay him an average of $10.25MM per season, which means Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Matheiu could target a figure above $11MM annually, Cole reports. Recent reports have indicated that the two sides are closing in on a long-term deal, and negotiations have been described as “smooth.” Speaking with Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com today, Matheiu said he “isn’t necessarily in a rush” to sign a new contract, but is hopeful that a pact can be hammered out eventually.
The Packers will be especially safe with receiver Jordy Nelson as he recovers from an ACL injury, and the pass-catcher won’t face any defenders until training camp at the earliest, per Cole. Nelson downplayed the severity of Green Bay’s cautious efforts, however, saying that he could play if a regular season was occurring this week.

Extra Points: Mathieu, Bears, Steelers, 49ers

May 23rd, 2016 at 8:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A report last Monday indicated that the Cardinals were nearing an extension with defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, and today Mathieu himself told Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com that the negotiations have been “smooth.” However, neither Mathieu nor general manager Steve Keim offered any sort of timeline for when a deal might finally be hammered out. Regardless, Mathieu isn’t concerning himself with positional designation as he awaits his payday.

“I just want to get paid as a top defender,” said Mathieu. “I don’t want to be slotted as a corner or a safety, because I’m not Patrick Peterson and I’m not Earl Thomas. I’m kind of different than both of those guys, but I still have the same type of impact on the game as those guys do. I just want to be paid as a top defender, and however that looks on paper, that’s what I want.”

Let’s take a look at a few more items from around the NFL…

Given that the Bears have signed Pernell McPhee and drafted Leonard Floyd and Jonathan Bullard over the past two seasons, it was fair to wonder if Willie Young and Lamarr Houston were going to survive for the 2016 season. Young, of course, looks to be a roster lock at this point, as he’s reportedly been offered an extension by Chicago. But Houston now seems likely to make the final 53 as well, as John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes.
The Steelers have begun to resist the urge to restructure contracts in order to create cap space, as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune details. After redoing 24 deals over the past five seasons, Pittsburgh hasn’t reworked a single contract this offseason, as GM Kevin Colbert & Co. have decided to stop kicking the can down the road.
With Martavis Bryant suspended for entire 2016 campaign, the Steelers are going to have to turn to other weapons to make up for his production. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com examines which pass-catchers might be asked to step up, including Ladarius Green, Sammie Coates, Markus Wheaton, and others.
In something of an upset, Colin Kaepernick is still on the 49ers‘ roster, and if he wants to earn the starting quarterback job, he’ll have to defeat favorite Blaine Gabbert to do so. As Kevin Lynch of SFGate.com writes, that level of competition could end up being a positive for Kaepernick.
Though the Raiders‘ efforts to relocate to Las Vegas appear to be growing more earnest, the proposed move won’t be on the docket at the next owner’s meetings, according to Peter King of TheMMQB.com.

Cardinals Nearing Extension With Tyrann Mathieu?

May 16th, 2016 at 7:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals are “deep in negotiations” for an extension with star safety Tyrann Mathieu, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The deal (if and when it is completed), will make Mathieu the highest-paid safety in the NFL, Rapoport adds.

Eric Berry currently stands as the NFL’s highest-paid safety on a per-year basis with a contract paying him $10.8MM in 2016. Of course, the Chiefs are hoping to lock up their own star safety as he is scheduled to hit the open market after the 2016 season. With that in mind, it’s possible that Mathieu’s mantle of being the highest-paid safety in the league might be short lived.

Earl Thomas of the Seahawks stands as the highest-paid safety on a multi-year deal following his four-year, $40MM extension signed in April 2014. Thomas’ AAV of $10MM/year edges Devin McCourty‘s $9.5MM salary after the Pats standout signed a five-year, $47.5MM deal to stay in New England last year. In terms of absolute guarantees, however, McCourty’s deal takes the cake at $22MM.

Mathieu is slated to earn a modest $1.5MM salary in his contract year. The LSU product underwent surgery in December to fix his torn ACL, but that apparently has not detered Arizona from getting a multi-year deal done. Mathieu, who will not take the practice field until training camp this summer, could be in line for more than $10MM per year on his new deal.

The former third-round pick is one of the league’s hardest hitters at his position and is an impact player when he’s on the gridiron. Mathieu, unfortunately, has missed eight games across his three NFL seasons.

“More than anything he’s a football player regardless of position and he’s a guy who can be a difference maker,” GM Steve Keim told PFT. “The hardest part of it all is in three years he has had two significant knee injuries. Aside from that Tyrann has done everything right on and off the field and he’s a guy that we envision as hopefully a face of the program moving forward.”

In 2015, Mathieu earned a Pro-Bowl selection and was named First-Team All-Pro. In his 14 games, Mathieu recorded five interceptions, 89 tackles, 1 sack, 17 passes defensed, and also recorded a defensive touchdown.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cardinals, Tyrann Mathieu Talking Extension

May 11th, 2016 at 5:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Contract talks between safety Tyrann Mathieu and the Cardinals are once again in motion, agent Tom Condon tells Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic. No deal is imminent at this time, but Cardinals GM Steve Keim is on record as saying that a new deal for the player formerly known as Honey Badger is a priority. The Cardinals and Mathieu discussed an extension back in February, but things ostensibly were put on hold during the madness of free agency and the draft.

Mathieu is slated to earn a modest $1.5MM salary in his contract year. Of course, his negotiations are complicated after he underwent surgery in December to fix his torn ACL. Mathieu, who will not take the practice field until training camp this summer, could be in line for more than $10MM per year on his new deal. However, as Somers notes, the Cards might want to see how Mathieu looks before committing that kind of cash.

The former third-round pick is one of the league’s hardest hitters at his position and is an impact player when he’s on the gridiron. However, Mathieu has missed eight games across his three NFL seasons and the team likely has concerns about his durability.

“More than anything he’s a football player regardless of position and he’s a guy who can be a difference maker,” Keim told PFT. “The hardest part of it all is in three years he has had two significant knee injuries. Aside from that Tyrann has done everything right on and off the field and he’s a guy that we envision as hopefully a face of the program moving forward.”

In 2015, Mathieu earned a Pro-Bowl selection and was named First-Team All-Pro. In his 14 games, Mathieu recorded five interceptions, 89 tackles, 1 sack, 17 passes defensed, and also recorded a defensive touchdown.

In other Cardinals contract news, Condon tells Somers that no contract talks have taken place regarding fellow client Calais Campbell. The defensive lineman is slated to carry a hefty $15.25MM cap number this year with a salary of $9.5MM. Condon claimes that the team’s selection of Robert Nkemdiche in last month’s draft has no bearing on Campbell’s future in Arizona, but I personally do not agree with the agent’s assessment of the situation. It’s also worth noting that the Cardinals traded for standout defensive end Chandler Jones earlier this offseason and there probably isn’t enough money in the budget to dole out big bucks to both players in the long-term.

Campbell, 30, is coming off of his second-straight Pro Bowl season, but the Cardinals will have some tough choices to make if they hope to retain Jones. After defensive lineman Malik Jackson and Olivier Vernon received monster deals this offseason, the Cardinals may have pay Jones $20MM or more per season on a multi-year deal.

In late March, Campbell dumped troubled agent Ben Dogra in favor of Condon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Tulloch, Schofield, Reed, Cardinals

May 9th, 2016 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Way back in February, a report surfaced suggesting that the Lions were planning to release veteran linebacker Stephen Tulloch when the new league year opened. However, the first week of the league year came and went without any roster moves involving Tulloch, and he has remained a Lion for nearly two more full months since then.

Appearing on PFT Live on Monday, Lions general manager Bob Quinn said there’s still “a chance” that Tulloch remains with the team for the 2016 season. However, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the linebacker’s release is likely “imminent.” That comes as no surprise — Detroit reportedly made efforts to work out a trade involving Tulloch, but it seems there hasn’t been any movement on that front.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

We heard last week that free agent linebacker O’Brien Schofield is interested in rejoining the Falcons. According to head coach Dan Quinn, the door is “never closed with Scho.” However, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com details, the two sides have been unable to agree on contract terms, despite the fact that Atlanta made Schofield an offer.
Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post breaks down the specific details on Jordan Reed‘s long-term extension with Washington, which is worth $48.421MM over five years.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk previews the extension talks between the Cardinals and defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, which should become more serious in the coming weeks or months.
Ex-NFL quarterback Byron Leftwich has a new job, having joined the Cardinals as a coaching intern under Bruce Arians, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com outlines. The former Jaguars starting quarterback will be with Arizona throughout the offseason and in training camp. “After that, we’ll see,” Arians said. “Hopefully I can keep him all year. I think he’s got a great, bright future in coaching.”