The Arizona Cardinals are locking up one of their best players. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network was first to report that the Cardinals and Tyrann Mathieu were nearing a deal. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the deal is for five years at, $62.5 million.
Cardinals and S Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu reached agreement on 5-year, $62.5 million agreement that includes $40M gtd, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 2, 2016
Shortly before that news broke, Mathieu not only implied that a deal was forthcoming, but that he was happy with it.
Blessed….
— Tyrann Mathieu (@Mathieu_Era) August 2, 2016
This looks like a great deal for both sides.
Mathieu has had his share of injury issues. So, getting a long-term deal with so much guaranteed money is a good thing for his future.
From Arizona’s perspective, Mathieu is a top-tier player at either cornerback or safety. As the NFL continues to become more pass heavy, having that kind of talent in the secondary will become increasingly important.
While this not a small contract by any means, it’s not unreasonably large, either, considering his value.
Mathieu, who is only 24, is coming off of a stellar 2015 season. He intercepted five passes and was named First-team All-Pro for the second time in his career.