By PFW staff
Feb. 15, 2008

As was widely expected, the Cardinals placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on LB Karlos Dansby on Thursday — one week before the 2008 season’s tag deadline. It’s the first time the Cardinals have used the franchise tag since 2002 (S Kwamie Lassiter). Cardinals GM Rod Graves called the move a “formality” and said he plans on continuing negotiations with Dansby’s agent, Kirk Wood, on a long-term contract. The Cardinals have until July 15 to strike a new deal. If Dansby is not signed by that date, he will play the entire 2008 season under a tag that will result in a one-year salary of $8.065 million. Dansby can continue to negotiate with other teams, but the compensation of two No. 1 picks that the Cardinals would receive if another team chose to sign him makes it extremely unlikely he will attract any serious suitors.

The PFW spin

For the Cardinals to have any real hope of striking a long-term deal with Dansby, they must first restructure the massive contract of teammate Larry Fitzgerald, which would create badly needed cap room that would also possibly enable the team to re-sign fellow free-agent LB Calvin Pace. Team insiders believe it’s most likely, however, that Dansby will play under the one-year franchise tender in ’08 and let the chips fall where they may down the road.

Wood is said to be using the contracts signed by LBs Adalius Thomas (Patriots) and Julian Peterson (Seahawks) as a parameter in negotiations for Dansby — which translates into roughly $7 million a year, with $17 million to $20 million in guaranteed money. The Cardinals think extremely highly of Dansby, who had a career-high 117 tackles last season in 14 games, but for the kind of money his agent is angling for, Dansby would probably have to be considered the team’s best defensive player, and there are a few other defenders on the team — most notably SS Adrian Wilson, who has made some noise about wanting his contract reworked — who legitimately qualify for that honor.

The good news is that, unlike many other players who consider the franchise tag a fate worse than death, Dansby says he is “honored” to be named the team’s franchise player and figures to remain motivated to be the best player he can be — which is a pretty good one.