Tag: jonathan ledbetter

Cardinals working to re-sign DL Jonathan Ledbetter

Ledbetter could be tendered as a restricted free agent but the Cardinals are working to re-sign him to a deal worth less than that.

The Arizona Cardinals are working to re-sign defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter, who is scheduled to become a restricted free agent (RFA) Wednesday.

However, it might not be easy.

While at the combine, general manager Monti Ossenfort was asked about re-signing Ledbetter and wide receiver Greg Dortch, and said, “It’s part of a bigger picture view of the roster and how we’re going to construct it because unfortunately, there’s a salary cap and how those pieces fit together. Those are discussions we’re going through right now, but I think the world of those two guys and they’ve made a lot of plays and played a lot of snaps for us and we’re going to put that piece together here as we go.”

Because Dortch is an exclusive-rights free agent (ERFA), that process is simpler because when tendered, a player can’t negotiate with other teams. Earlier this week, it was reported the Cardinals tendered Dortch at $1.125 million.

There have been reports Ledbetter would also be an ERFA, making it relatively painless to tender him. However, because he spent most of the 2019 season on injured reserve with the Miami Dolphins, that makes him a RFA with three accrued seasons.

Players gain an accrued season with a minimum of six games in a season on an active roster, injured reserve or reserve/physically unable to perform. Accrued seasons determine a player’s free agent status.

Minimum salaries are based on credited seasons with a minimum of three games on the active roster, but being on injured reserve does not count.

For 2024, the minimum salary for two credited seasons is $985,000 and it is $1.055 million for three. That isn’t a huge difference, but the RFA rules complicate Ledbetter’s situation especially because he suffered a knee injury, tearing his ACL, and was on injured reserve for the final two games of the season.

The team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for 2023, he was on stage at NFL Honors Feb. 8 with the assistance of a cane.

The lowest RFA tender for Ledbetter would $2.985 million because he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent. That tender is likely too rich for the Cardinals.

However, many teams re-sign their RFA players by not tendering them and then negotiating a lower salary.

Sources have told Cards Wire that’s what the Cardinals and Ledbetter are working toward with the possibility that incentives and per-game roster bonuses could be included in the contract, as well as a roster bonus payable when he can pass a physical.

In 12 games started last season, Ledbetter had 46 tackles (25 solo) with one for a loss along with 1.5 sacks. In those games, he played 64 percent of the snaps.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Cardinals have 4 exclusive rights free agents

These four players aren’t under contract for 2024 but can only play for Arizona if they are tendered a contract.

Free agency for the Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the NFL will begin in March. For exclusive rights free agents, it means hoping that their team in 2023 still wants them back.

Exclusive rights free agents are players with fewer than three accrued seasons but are not under contract for the following season. They remain under team control even without a contract.

These players only will be true free agents if their team from the previous season does not tender them a qualifying offer, almost always being for the minimum salary based on years credited.

The Cardinals have four exclusive rights free agents, or four players whom they can re-sign if they want them back. If they tender them a contract, they will be back because they cannot sign elsewhere unless the Cardinals do not offer them a contract.

Who are they? Check them out below.

Cardinals lose DL Jonathan Ledbetter to knee injury for rest of season

Ledbetter finished the season with 46 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

The Arizona Cardinals will finish their season without their four best defensive linemen due to injuries. The latest to get hurt is Jonathan Ledbetter.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon announced Tuesday that Ledbetter’s season was over. He suffered a knee injury in the team’s 27-16 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

He will be placed on injured reserve.

Ledbetter joins L.J. Collier, Carlos Watkins and Leki Fotu on injured reserve.

Ledbetter will be a restricted free agent this offseason.

His season finishes having played in and started 12 games. He had 46 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss and four quarterback hits.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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2 Georgia Bulldogs in the NFL nominated for prestigious award

Former Georgia Bulldogs Roquan Smith and Jonathan Ledbetter have been nominated for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Former Georgia Bulldog linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter have both been nominated for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Roquan Smith is the Baltimore Ravens’ nominee for the award. Jonathan Ledbetter is the Arizona Cardinals’ nominee.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell noted what makes the award so special and coveted.

The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award is the league’s most prestigious honor given annually to the player who best represents the greatness and compassion of Walter Payton on and off the field. These 32 outstanding men are making a valuable difference in their communities every day and we are proud to celebrate their special gifts and humanitarianism.

It is great to see the impact that both Roquan Smith and Jonathan Ledbetter are having in their respective communities. Roquan Smith, who grew up in Macon County, Georgia, is helping educate families, frequently attends youth football camps, honors first responders, and more.

Jonathan Ledbetter has hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for the community, various youth football camps, has his own organization (Led A Better Way), and more.

It is good to see former Georgia Bulldogs giving back to their communities.

LOOK: Photos of Jonathan Ledbetter’s community work

Ledbetter was named the Cardinals’ nominee for the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

The Arizona Cardinals named defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter their nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award for 2023, the league’s highest off-field honor for work done in the community.

He led a number of projects in the community this past year. The Cardinals shared some images of those projects and events.

Check them out below.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

DL Jonathan Ledbetter is Cardinals’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee

Ledbetter is one of 32 team nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

As the NFL hits the final month of the regular season, all 32 teams have announced their team’s selection for the Walter NFL Payton Man of the Year Award, the highest off-field honors a player can earn.

The Cardinals named defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter as their 2023 honoree.

As a nominee, Ledbetter will receive up to a $55,000 donation to the charity of his choice and wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

“So many of our players go above and beyond when it comes to contributing to the community and it is challenging to single out just one for this honor. But whether it’s here in Arizona or in his home state of Georgia, Jonathan has consistently demonstrated a commitment to serving others that exemplifies everything that this award stands for,” said Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill in a statement. “We are enormously proud to have him represent the Cardinals and to present him as our 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.”

What earned Ledbetter this recognition by the Cardinals?

Ledbetter’s charitable efforts focus on helping shape and empower the next generation. Ledbetter was inspired to make an impact in the lives of children by his mother, Teresa Belcher, a single parent who spent more than two decades in the Air Force. Ledbetter created his foundation, Led A Better Way, upon entering the NFL in 2019. However, the foundation and Ledbetter’s impact in the community has grown drastically over his last two seasons with the Cardinals. Through his foundation, Ledbetter has hosted youth football camps, holiday gift drives, hospital visits and mental health awareness events among other charitable activities in both Arizona and his native Georgia.

Many of the causes Ledbetter supports have been a part of his own journey. In July, he held his second annual Led A Better Way Foundation Youth Football Camp at his alma mater, Tucker (GA) High School. With over 200 participants, the children participated in a variety of non-contact drills, received individual instruction and gear from Ledbetter. Ledbetter didn’t have the financial ability to go to specialized camps as a young player, so it is important to him to provide access to as many young athletes as possible.

In March, Ledbetter spoke at Tucker High School about mental health on World Teen Mental Wellness Day. He shared his own battle with depression with students and emphasized that everyone goes through tough times and that it is ok to not be ok. In February, he served as a keynote speaker at the Black Men’s Brain Health Conference in Phoenix where he discussed the pain and pleasure that comes with being a professional athlete.

Ledbetter recently joined forces with teammates Kelvin Beachum and Dennis Gardeck to provide over 230 Arizona families in need with Thanksgiving dinner. In October, Ledbetter gifted a new outdoor learning space to Thew Elementary in Tempe for the school to hold science classes and conduct experiments. In addition to his own foundation, he is a frequent participant in community events hosted by the team. This season Ledbetter has proudly represented the Cardinals at military appreciation events, hospital visits, youth clinics, back-to-school drives and meal distributions among many other events throughout the Valley.

The 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year will be announced during NFL Honors ceremony the Thursday before Super Bowl LVIII. The winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Cardinals inactives: Will Hernandez, Josh Woods to play vs. Bengals

Will Hernandez, questionable to play, was good to go in Week 5. Josh Woods returned to the lineup after missing three games.

The Arizona Cardinals got a little healthier in Week 5. Linebacker Josh Woods, out of the lineup since Week 1 with an ankle injury, returned and was active against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Offensive lineman Will Hernandez, who was questionable for the game after missing some practice time with a back injury, also was good to go. Both players were active.

The Cardinals’ inactive players were no surprise:

Arizona Cardinals Week 5 inactive list

  • S Quantrezz Knight
  • RB Keaontay Ingram
  • OL Carter O’Donnell
  • TE Elijah Higgins
  • DL Jonathan Ledbetter

Knight, O’Donnell and Higgins were healthy scratches. O’Donnell and Higgins had not been active yet this season. Ledbetter missed his second straight game with a finger injury.

Ingram missed for the second straight game with a neck problem. Corey Clement was elevated to the active roster to replace him. Ben Stille was elevated to play on the defensive line with Ledbetter out.

Cornerback Starling Thomas was active for the first time this season.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Surprising presumed starters for Cardinals entering regular season

These four players, expected to start, were not on anyone’s radar when the offseason began.

The Arizona Cardinals have cut their roster down and are now on the path of preparing for their season opener on the road against the Washington Commanders.

While head coach Jonathan Gannon refuses to name starters yet, the preseason depth chart and the playing rotation in the preseason give us an idea of what the starting lineup will look like.

There are a handful of surprises, based on expectations entering the offseason. Four projected starters were not expected to be starters when the offseason began.

Cardinals training camp roster preview: DL Jonathan Ledbetter

We have a look at DL Jonathan Ledbetter and his chances of making the final roster for the Cardinals.

The Arizona Cardinals open training camp at the end of this month, so we will do a roster review, highlighting each player currently on the roster, going over last season, their salary and cap number, questions they face and what their expected roster status will be.

Next up is DL Jonathan Ledbetter.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

DL Jonathan Ledbetter signs one-year tender to return to Cardinals

Ledbetter signed his one-year tender to return to Arizona for a third season.

Defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter returns to the Arizona Cardinals for another season. The team announced he signed his one-year exclusive rights free agent tender.

With less than three credited years in the league, Ledbetter was limited as a free agent. If the Cardinals tendered him a qualifying offer, he could not sign elsewhere or negotiate with other teams.

The Cardinals tendered him a qualifying offer, so it was only a matter of time before he signed.

he will make $870,000 this coming season.

Ledbetter joined the Cardinals in 2021, spending most of the season on the practice squad, although he did appear in one game.

Last season, he appeared in 14 games, starting three. He played in 29% of the team’s defensive snaps and had 22 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits.

General manager Monti Ossenfort mentioned Ledbetter when talking about the defensive line at the NFL combine, saying he played well.

He will have the opportunity to compete for a spot on the roster and for playing time this coming season.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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