Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu has been named a two-time first-team All-Pro since being drafted in the third-round in 2013. Despite tearing his ACL this past season, Mathieu still projects to be one of the top safeties in the league and one of Arizona's most important players going forward.
Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has said several times that re-signing Mathieu to a long-term extension is a priority. With All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson locked up for five more years, Arizona could cement themselves as one of the most talented pass defenses in the league with Mathieu under contract.
As such, it's no surprise that the two sides have officially begun discussing a new deal. No agreement is expected in the immediate future, but with free agency and the draft in the rear view, now is the time to make some progress.
Mathieu will earn just $1.5 million in base salary this year, the final season of his rookie deal. Negotiations between the two sides will be tricky due to Mathieu's knee injury, but he is expected to take the field for training camp this summer. If healthy, Mathieu will likely be looking for a deal that averages $10 million per year, putting him in the top three highest-paid safeties in the league alongside Eric Berry ($10.806 million) and Earl Thomas ($10 million).
But the Honey Badger has missed eight games over three NFL seasons, and Arizona is right to be concerned about committing so much money to a player with durability concerns.
"More than anything he's a football player regardless of position and he's a guy who can be a difference maker," Keim said. "The hardest part of it all is in three years he has had two significant knee injuries. Aside from that Tyrann has done everything right on and off the field and he's a guy that we envision as hopefully a face of the program moving forward."
In 2015, Mathieu appeared in 14 games and recorded five interceptions, 89 tackles, one sack, 17 passes defended and a defensive touchdown. He earned a Pro Bowl selection and was named first-team All-Pro for the second time in his career.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
