By PFW Staff
July 15, 2008

Barring a major miracle before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline for signing franchise players to multiyear contracts, it looks like Cardinals ILB Karlos Dansby will have to settle for a one-year franchise tender of $8.065 million this coming season.

Cardinals GM Rod Graves told the Arizona Republic Monday that a new deal for Dansby was extremely unlikely with the team and Dansby's agent, Kirk Wood, about $3 million apart on the subject of Dansby's proposed annual salary. Graves said the Cardinals have offered Dansby a deal comparable to the contracts received by LBs Nick Barnett and Will Witherspoon of the Packers and Rams, respectively, but that doesn't appear to be enough for Dansby, who wants a deal similar to the one former teammate Calvin Pace signed with the Jets that includes in excess of $20 million in guaranteed money.

Graves also said that he expected to sign third-round rookie WR Early Doucet in the next day or two, and that contract talks with the team's top two rookie picks — CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Calais Campbell, were proceeding smoothly.