Tyrann Mathieu on the chopping block? It doesn't seem like it

One of the underrated storylines that will happen with the Arizona Cardinals this off-season is what happens to Tyrann Mathieu.

The former All Pro is at a crossroads with the team in terms of contract. If the Cardinals keep him, it triggers a clause that guarantees his 2018 salary and part of his 2019 salary ($8 million).

The bad part is, cutting him does little in terms of cap relief in 2018, $4.8 million in savings with $9.3 million in dead cap space.

The real savings comes in the form of his cap relief in 2019.

The issue is this, the Cardinals have an enormous amount of cap space in 2019, so yes adding Mathieu to the pool is great, but it’s not necessary. The Cardinals are projected to have over $100 million in cap space in 2019 already, is Mathieu’s salary really needed? Also, is the loss of Mathieu the player, one of a few proven commodities on the roster for 2019, even if he isn’t the same player as 2015.

Well, the reports are starting to surface that maybe the Cardinals are going to move on from Mathieu.

Well, shortly after, Mathieu had some things to say:

Now, either Mathieu is responding to the Cardinals talking about releasing him or he’s responding to the reports of it that they are inaccurate.

If Mathieu is responding in the wake that the Cardinals are going to release him, you’d expect a little more emotion, he is an emotional young man.

This reads, and yes it’s just a couple of tweets, like someone shooting down a rumor from a “sauce”.

It makes more sense to keep Mathieu on the roster, see what he gives you this season and keep him moving forward in a time where there are few knowns.

Who knows though, maybe we’ve seen the last of the Honey Badger in Cardinal red.