Inside The NFL- Dansby in doubt, Mason unlikely to return to Ravens

By Sprung On Sports  |   Thursday, July 16, 2009  |  Comments( 0 )

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Dansby’s Arizona future in doubt

-The Wednesday deadline for franchise players signing long-term deals have come and gone, and Arizona LB Karlos Dansby still has no contract with the Cardinals after next season.

A day after Terrell Suggs got a record $63 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens, the dynamic Dansby, who some will argue anchored the NFC champion Cardinals’ defense, has averaged 109 tackles, four sacks and three forces fumbles over the past two years, according to the Associated Press. He’s saying all the right things, telling the press that he wants to remain with Arizona long term, but will likely only do that if the team breaks the bank like Baltimore did for Suggs, something I don’t think the team should do.

And that’s where Dansby and the team will likely be stuck in a season-long impasse over what type of player Dansby should be paid like, especially since the team has little to no breathing room under the cap this season.

“I'm sure he will look for Suggs-type money.” Mike Sando, ESPN’s NFC West blogger told SprungOnSports on Thursday. “I'm also pretty sure Arizona will not pay that type of money unless Dansby becomes a Suggs-type player. And I do not think that will happen.”

So therein lies the potential pitfall that could ultimately rid the team of their best defensive player. If Dansby does have a spectacular season, he could set Suggs’ contract as a starting point of negotiation, which the Cardinals probably won’t be able to afford.

“Contracts aren't guaranteed in the NFL, so his agent getting about two-thirds of the contract in the first two years is huge.” SprungOnSports Radio’s Jason Brand said, making this year the biggest of the 27-year-old’s life.

If Dansby has a subpar season, he won’t have leverage, but he’ll look at his past success as a player and try to obtain a lucrative contract that way. So it’s basically a catch-22 on both sides.

Monetarily speaking, one factor working in Arizona’s favor is the glamorous work Suggs does on the field as a pass rusher, while Dansby is more of a run-stopper and playmaker in less obvious ways.

“Suggs has been more of a pass rusher.” Sando said. “Pass rushers have more value than more traditional linebackers.”

So Cardinals fans will wait with bated breath as the two sides will try to resolve their issues and keep their best defensive player in the Phoenix area for a very long time.

Kuharsky: Don’t expect Mason back
-While covering the Titans for 12 years at Nashville’s biggest newspaper, The Tennessean, ESPN’s AFC South Blogger Paul Kuharsky got to know recently retired WR Derrick Mason pretty well, covering Mason for 10 of his 12 years as a pro. And his shocking departure from the game, for family reasons, possibly the tragic death of longtime friend and QB Steve McNair, could be permanent, despite Baltimore’s urgings for him to return to anchor the team’s weakened and severely depleted receiving corps. But Kuharsky seems to think that Mason is going to stick to his decision.

“Based on all the years I covered him, I don't know his propensity for changing his mind on a big decision.” Kuharsky told SprungOnSports on Thursday. “Not impossible, but the tone of the comments suggested he's done, and I am sure the McNair stuff weighed into his decision. Timing was bad for Baltimore, which is a lot less good without him.”

While the Ravens try talking Mason out of retirement, they’re scrambling for receivers to help out Joe Flacco. But according to Kuharsky, certainly a man in the know, the odds of bringing Mason back into the fold are slim to none.
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