Tyrann Mathieu’s 2015 season ended due to a torn right ACL, but the Arizona Cardinals will work to make sure the versatile star’s tenure with the team doesn’t expire when his rookie contract does.
During an appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7, Arizona general manager Steve Keim said the franchise views Mathieu as a critical piece for the future.
“It’s hard to say that that we’ll be able to get something done for sure, but we certainly have that goal in mind and there’s no doubt that this organization wants Tyrann Mathieu to be a fixture here for years.”
Mathieu recorded career-high marks across the board last year, finishing his third NFL campaign with 89 tackles, 17 pass defenses, five interceptions and a defensive touchdown.
Unfortunately for the LSU product, the fifth interception resulted in disaster. Mathieu missed the final two outings of the regular season and both playoff games.
Head coach Bruce Arians previously said the Cardinals hope Mathieu will be ready for organized team activities (OTAs) and/or minicamp this summer. That timetable is realistic, given that quarterback Carson Palmer returned from a torn ACL in November 2014.
While Arizona would be smart to-resign Mathieu, the business side of football means it’s probably even wiser to wait. Mathieu is a tremendous player, but he’s torn both his left (2013) and right ACL (2015) during his brief NFL career.
Should the safety/cornerback/linebacker avoid a setback during the 2016 season, Mathieu will ink a sizable contract. However, the ugly truth is Mathieu’s value can only drop because he’d otherwise be labeled “injury prone.”
Regardless, Mathieu is worth the money, and the Cardinals seem ready to pay.