INDIANAPOLIS -- NFL decision-makers often make news from the podium at the NFL Scouting Combinefor what they don't say. And Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim did not say that safety Tyrann Mathieu will be part of the team in 2018.
The future of Honey Badger is in question during business season on the NFL calendar because, like many players, he has a key option in his contract coming up. Unlike others who could hit free agency, however, Mathieu is young, coming off a season where he led the league in total snaps and could be willing to bet on himself if the Cardinals choose not to pick up an option that guarantees him $19 million over the next two seasons.
"It's a gamble and I'm taking all bets.... if I lose I vow to make it all back," Mathieu cryptically wrote Tuesday on Twitter. And the 25-year-old offered additional commentary Wednesday:
[TWEET]968902348813709312[/TWEET]
I interpret those tweets as possibly meaning that Mathieu and his representatives could be unwilling to renegotiate the deal and take a pay cut in order to stay in Arizona. It's hard to blame him for his confidence: If Mathieu is indeed released, he'll be one of the top 10 unrestricted free agents available. Wednesday's comments from Keim only bolstered the belief that the two sides could be headed for a staredown.
"What we're doing right now with our coaching staff is looking not only at Tyrann but every player, and see how they fit," Keim said when I asked whether the Cardinals are expecting Mathieu to be on the roster. "So how do they fit (with) what we're asking them to do schematically, but (also) where they fit from a salary standpoint -- all those things moving forward.
"There's a lot of moving parts -- what we're potentially going to do in free agency, how that affects our cap situation -- and I feel like we have a pretty good grasp on that."
This would not have been a difficult question two seasons ago, before the Cardinals handed Mathieu a five-year contract. Mathieu was a transformative talent on and off the field, such a cornerstone that Arizona gave him a $62.5 million deal after his second torn ACL. But the Cardinals have since drafted safety Budda Baker, whom Keim called a "budding star" on Wednesday. Mathieu also lost a supporter and mentor in former coach Bruce Arians.
"You take a loss, then you have to embrace it," Mathieu wrote after seeing Keim's comments in Indy.
On a frantic day where we got a better idea of many potential veteran comings and goings throughout the league, it sure sounded like Mathieu could be headed elsewhere.
The future of Honey Badger is in question during business season on the NFL calendar because, like many players, he has a key option in his contract coming up. Unlike others who could hit free agency, however, Mathieu is young, coming off a season where he led the league in total snaps and could be willing to bet on himself if the Cardinals choose not to pick up an option that guarantees him $19 million over the next two seasons.
"It's a gamble and I'm taking all bets.... if I lose I vow to make it all back," Mathieu cryptically wrote Tuesday on Twitter. And the 25-year-old offered additional commentary Wednesday:
[TWEET]968902348813709312[/TWEET]
I interpret those tweets as possibly meaning that Mathieu and his representatives could be unwilling to renegotiate the deal and take a pay cut in order to stay in Arizona. It's hard to blame him for his confidence: If Mathieu is indeed released, he'll be one of the top 10 unrestricted free agents available. Wednesday's comments from Keim only bolstered the belief that the two sides could be headed for a staredown.
"What we're doing right now with our coaching staff is looking not only at Tyrann but every player, and see how they fit," Keim said when I asked whether the Cardinals are expecting Mathieu to be on the roster. "So how do they fit (with) what we're asking them to do schematically, but (also) where they fit from a salary standpoint -- all those things moving forward.
"There's a lot of moving parts -- what we're potentially going to do in free agency, how that affects our cap situation -- and I feel like we have a pretty good grasp on that."
This would not have been a difficult question two seasons ago, before the Cardinals handed Mathieu a five-year contract. Mathieu was a transformative talent on and off the field, such a cornerstone that Arizona gave him a $62.5 million deal after his second torn ACL. But the Cardinals have since drafted safety Budda Baker, whom Keim called a "budding star" on Wednesday. Mathieu also lost a supporter and mentor in former coach Bruce Arians.
"You take a loss, then you have to embrace it," Mathieu wrote after seeing Keim's comments in Indy.
On a frantic day where we got a better idea of many potential veteran comings and goings throughout the league, it sure sounded like Mathieu could be headed elsewhere.
