With No Franchise Tag Ahead, Karlos Dansby's Future With Cardinals Uncertain

by Andrew602 on Feb 19, 2010 2:49 PM MST in NFL Offseason/Free Agency

It was reported last night by the Arizona Rebuplic that the Arizona Cardinals woud not place the franchise tag on linebacker Karlos Dansby for the third straight year.

The Cardinals are prepared to let linebacker Karlos Dansby test the open market in free agency this year and will not place the franchise tag on him for a third consecutive season, a team source confirmed Thursday

That does not, however, mean Dansby's days with the franchise are over. The Cardinals will monitor the situation when free-agent offers are allowed to be made and then decide then if they wish to make an offer of their own.

The team appears to be gambling that Dansby won't command as much as a free agent as he would as a franchise player, which could be as much as $16 million guaranteed.

So far we know that Dansby is looking to become one of the highest paid linebackers in the league, and that kind of terminology doesn't exist to Cardinals' management. Aside from Dansby, the Cardinals only true inside linebackers are Gerald Hayes and Reggie Walker. Walker showed promise in his first season in the NFL but is he ready to take over for Dansby?

If the Cardinals don't pursue Dansby then they'll likely add a veteran once free agency begins. The most likely fix to this situation will be drafting a linebacker in April. One thing we've learned is that Ken Whisenhunt prefers to ease rookies into playing time their first year, so would drafting a linebacker help the defense in 2010?

Dansby is 28-years old and will be entering his seventh season in the league. He's spent his entire career with the Cardinals and in that time, he has 555 tackles, 25.5 sacks, and 10 interceptions. At this point, the Cardinal may be best fit to cough up the money and re-sign the talented linebacker. What are you thoughts and should the Cardinals attempt to re-sign Dansby?

Tweet Comment 14 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I've said all along that we should take a realistic shot at re-signing him.

If he still wants to move on then that’s fine, but we can’t just let him go with out making a run at signing him. Nearly our entire LB corps needs re-vamping and holding onto Dansby would help ease the new guys in. Dansby is the kind of talent that you build around in a LB corps. We aren’t talking about Pace here. We can’t let our LB unit regress to the point where it’s a near total overhaul.

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome again. True story.
-Barney Stinson

by Red Reign on Feb 19, 2010 3:08 PM MST reply actions

In fairness to the front office

they’ve made numerous attempts to extend him to a long-term contract, all of which have been rejected by Dansby and his agent. I understand him wanting to test the free-agent market and to get the most amount of money he can, but that appears to have been his thinking from day one.

Hopefully we resign him but I don’t think it’s the end of the world if we don’t. We still have Hayes returning at one ILB position, and we knew that OLB would take on a new look with the ages of Haggans and Okeafor. I am curious to see if this makes us more likely to draft Dansby’s heir apparent in round 1, or if we go the route of Tennessee NT Dan Williams (if available) to make life easier on the linebackers (projected idea of easier, anyways).

I think this is only the beginning of a very busy off-season for us.

by Long Beach on Feb 19, 2010 3:33 PM MST up reply actions

Reggie, Reggie, Reggie!!

Life's too short. Be a fan. Orlando Magic, Arizona Cardinals,Tampa Bay Rays and of course "the U"! What a winning combo.

by hevchv on Feb 19, 2010 4:15 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

I could go along

with that chant. If that doesn’t seem promising come April I guess we could change it to Brandon, Brandon, Brandon!! (Between Spikes and Graham we’ve doubled our chances of being right – and before someone says it, yes, I know Graham wouldn’t be a replacement for Dansby).

by Long Beach on Feb 19, 2010 4:33 PM MST up reply actions

Even if we get one of these guys,

As long as KD is gone, they won’t start. Reggie or Beisel (if he stays) would be the starter for at least the 1st half of the season. And if he doesn’t lose the job, Hayes might be the one looking over his shoulders come next year.

Life's too short. Be a fan. Orlando Magic, Arizona Cardinals,Tampa Bay Rays and of course "the U"! What a winning combo.

by hevchv on Feb 19, 2010 4:50 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

How so?

I’m following your reasoning about Whiz’s history of not starting rookies, although I still think Spikes could be an exception to the rule, but I’m not understanding your idea of Hayes losing his job? To who?

by Long Beach on Feb 19, 2010 4:59 PM MST up reply actions

If Reggie can outright win the job

I can’t see the rookie taking out the second year player with a year in the system under his belt. My reasoning was that if Reggie could keep the job then an aging Hayes might be the rookie’s only way to start after next season. This only if Hayes contract expires then. I was referring to the lessened need to resign him if both younger guys were good enough.

Life's too short. Be a fan. Orlando Magic, Arizona Cardinals,Tampa Bay Rays and of course "the U"! What a winning combo.

by hevchv on Feb 19, 2010 8:09 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

The only logical

option at this point is to use the transition tag on him, which would allow us to match an offer sheet he is signed to. The franchise tag is unrealistic, we can’t justify a near $17 million dollar contract to him.

Losing him would be a big hole to fill, but I think a guy like Florida ILB Brandon Spikes is a rookie who could step in and play right away, and in many ways would be the safest pick available at #26. There are reports that Alabama ILB Rolando McClain is slipping, but I doubt (if he really is) that the free fall lands him in our lap.

Painful as it may be, we’ve got to let him go if the cost ends up being too high.

by Long Beach on Feb 19, 2010 3:09 PM MST reply actions

Beware the T-tag!

The possibility of a “poison pill” clause has all but killed the T-tag. Look at how Minnesota got Steve Hutchinson from Seattle despite Hutch being T-tagged.

by thebyron on Feb 19, 2010 3:56 PM MST up reply actions

True

I doubt we’d use it, but as the franchise tag isn’t a realistic possibility that is the only other way we could potentially match something he signs. But as you accurately recounted in your post, the team he signs with could convolute it so bad that it wouldn’t make difference (although I’m guessing the $ amounts will already be a deal-breaker anyways).

by Long Beach on Feb 19, 2010 4:30 PM MST up reply actions

playing it cool

I give the Cards front office props and credit on this one because I don’t think Dansby will command what he wants…who knows maybe he will BUT Dansby is good but not great. ILB can be filled, I’m not to worried about it. I want him to stay so I’m hoping he doesn’t get offers he wants and we give a GOOD contract and wrap him up.

BTW heard on the radio we are wrapping 90 up for a long time…its in the works…Sports 910.

by Punisher3190 on Feb 19, 2010 4:48 PM MST reply actions

off subject

Thank u andrew for posting something I work anywhere from 60 hours to 70 hours a week and so I cheat the system and check the site at least 10 times a day for a little break from work and it seams like u are the only one that post on a regular basis so thanks

The Devil Birds just got cha

by DaCards on Feb 19, 2010 4:49 PM MST via mobile reply actions

I would like to see him come back.

So… who is his agent? I’m guessing it is Rosenhaus or however the hell you spell his name.

Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan.

I can't stand band-wagoner fans, stick with your team, throughout the good and the bad.

by JoeCB1991 on Feb 19, 2010 5:28 PM MST reply actions

Andrew, can u please list the cap #'s?

It looks like he may be gone and there is no viable replacement out there unless there’s a trade made. I hope the Cardinals make a decent run at him but I wouldn’t spend more than 12 mill. a season on him. To me, he isn’t worth 10 million a season.
I hate to sound negative but if history has taught me anything about the ownership of this team, I’m afraid the 49er’s may have surpassed this team as the favorite to win this conference. I don’t see the team spending to keep up with the elite teams in the NFL. Even if they resign dansby, there are still more moves that have to be made! I seriously doubt if bidwell will do it! I hope all the fans take the ownership and front office to task because this team is really close!

by lifelongcardfan on Feb 19, 2010 8:08 PM MST reply actions