Karlos Dansby is a month away from free agency, but he hopes he doesn’t have to move again.
The Cardinals linebacker told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he thinks he’ll remain in Arizona.
“I definitely expect to be an Arizona Cardinal next year,” Dansby said, via Darren Urban of the team’s official website. “We don’t have long here [before free agency] so we’ll get to talking and try and hammer something out.”
Dansby had an exceptional season, with 6.5 sacks and four interceptions for a Cardinals defense that exceeded expectations.
That would ordinarily put him in good position to enter a market, after signing a one-year, $2.25 million deal a year ago. But at 32, he is aware of the new economic realities of the league.
“The numbers situation right now with the new CBA is totally different,” Dansby said. “The numbers have changed, they flipped, and you have to make the best decision for you.”
While a big-money, long-term deal is unlikely, there should be a way for the Cards to hang onto a guy who helped establish a personality on defense.