Tag: Markus Golden

Steelers LB Markus Golden ready to roll vs Colts

No matter what happens with T.J. Watt & Alex Highsmith, Markus Golden is preparing for his name to be called versus the Colts this week.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Markus Golden in May, they signed a guy with a no-matter-what attitude. And that’s what they’ll need on Saturday.

With the status of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith uncertain, Golden will need to step up in a big way to help the team defend the Indianapolis Colts this week.

“No matter what, I’ll be ready no matter what, I’m prepared,” Golden told Steelers media on Tuesday. “Since I’ve been in the NFL, man, I’ve been doing it like this no matter what. I’m going hard no matter what and so what whatever comes I’ll be prepared and ready.

Even though his time in Pittsburgh has been brief, he’s a 10-year veteran who knows how things go in the league. He’s been part of some bad teams, and the Steelers are no different. It’s all about how you respond to adversity.

“Staying together. Not pointing no fingers. It’s a team sport. You can’t blame it on one person, can’t blame it on one side of the ball. You’ve got to come together, go hard and do what you gotta do. Everybody wanna win. Do what you gotta do to win.”

In Week 14, Golden was inactive for the first time since joining the team. And it turned out it was when they would need him most.

Golden knows it’s all part of the business but will be ready when his name is inevitably called on Saturday.

He has three sacks, 11 tackles and five quarterback hits in 12 games.

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Former Cardinals LB Markus Golden signing with Steelers

Golden only had 2.5 sacks last season but has reached double digits three times in his career. The Cardinals will face Golden in Week 13.

The Pittsburgh Steelers picked up some pass rushing help, adding a former Arizona Cardinals linebacker.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers and linebacker Markus Golden agreed to a one-year contract.

Golden became a free agent after he was released this offseason. it was his second stint with the team.

2022 was a disappointing year for him. He injured his toe in the weight room in the offseason, dropping a kettlebell on it. He signed a contract extension before the season only to finish with only 2.5 sacks on the season.

He will face his former team if he makes the roster and stays healthy. The Cardinals face the Steelers on the road in Week 13.

Golden has reached double digits in sacks three times in his career, twice with the Cardinals. He should be a decent addition to the Steelers opposite T.J. Watt.

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11 veteran free agents the Rams should consider signing following the 2023 NFL draft

The 2023 NFL draft has passed and the Rams could still sign these veterans to fill the remaining holes on their roster.

The 2023 NFL draft is now behind us, with the Los Angeles Rams making 14 total selections in the seven rounds. After the draft was completed, the Rams have also proceeded to sign 26 undrafted rookies to deals.

Besides adding first-year players via the draft, the Rams will likely use free agency to shape the rest of their roster this offseason. With the draft passing by, teams in the NFL can now sign veterans without it affecting their compensatory pick status.

So with the Rams having an opportunity to choose from the remaining free agents, here are 11 veterans they should consider signing this offseason to fill the rest of the holes on the roster.

4 second-wave free agent targets for the Saints to consider

Improving depth will be key for the Saints, and there’s a lot to like in former Browns LB Anthony Walker Jr. He’s one to watch in free agency’s second week:

Few teams have as much salary cap space to work with as the New Orleans Saints do right now, which is kind of hilarious given all of the hand-wringing from national pundits and misinformed fans of other teams in recent weeks. The Saints have a plan, and they’re executing it. It’s positioned them to make more noise in free agency as the next wave of signings begins to spread across the NFL. So which free agents could be on their radar?

Now, signing any of these players will jeopardize the much-needed 2024 compensatory draft picks the Saints are projected to receive after losing so many of their own free agents in the first week of signings. But the Saints don’t often pay much mind to their comp picks (they would’ve gotten a couple of third-round picks in this year’s draft had they not signed Andy Dalton and Marcus Maye last offseason) so it shouldn’t shock anyone if they angle for immediate upgrades over long-term draft capital. For better or worse, that’s just how they do business:

Cardinals release LB Markus Golden, save more than $3M in cap space

The move saves the Cardinals more than $3 million against the salary cap. He had only 2.5 sacks in 2022.

The Arizona Cardinals have cut ties with linebacker Markus Golden. The team announced the official re-signing of receiver Greg Dortch and that Golden, who had two stints with the team, was released.

Golden’s production dipped last season. After an 11-sack 2021 season, Golden started the season injured and had only 2.5 sacks in 2022.

The release will save the Cardinals almost $3.1 million in cap space but will leave almost $1.1 million in dead money to count against the cap this year.

Golden was originally drafted by the Cardinals in the second round in 2015. He played four seasons before leaving in free agency, playing a season and a half for the New York Giants before the Cardinals re-acquired him in a trade.

He finishes his time with the Cardinals with 35.5 career sacks, the sixteenth-most in franchise history.

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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Markus Golden contract extension details, salary, salary cap implications

The Cardinals still get a huge bargain in Golden’s new deal and he gets more cash this year and an extra year of security.

Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker signed a two-year contract in 2021 to come back to the team. It was a bargain of a deal. Before the season began this year, he agreed to a contract extension worth up to a reported $6.5 million.

Over the Cap has had his contract details for a bit but it wasn’t written about here and I have not seen it elsewhere, so let’s go through the numbers for his new deal.

Old contract numbers for 2022

Entering the final year of his deal, he was due $2 million in salary, none of which was guaranteed, and up to $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses. He could earn up to $2 million in incentives for reaching certain sack numbers.

His original cap hit was scheduled to be $3 million but, because he earned $1 million in sack incentives in 2021, that number was added to this year’s cap.

His cap hit was going to be $4 million.

Markus Golden contract extension details, salary

The extension is worth a total of $6.91 million. While called a one-year extension, it is essentially a two-year deal worth nearly $7 million.

He received a signing bonus of $2.16 million. His salary, previously an unguaranteed $2 million, now is a fully guaranteed $1.5 million.

Instead of per-game roster bonuses worth up to $250,000, that total is now up to $170,000 or $10,000 per game.

Instead of the $2.25 million he was due to make in total cash in 2022, now he will get more than $3.8 million.

In 2023, his salary increases to $2.91 million and he again has per-game roster bonuses up to $170,000.

Salary cap numbers

He was going to have a $4 million cap hit this year.

With his $1.5 million salary, the $750,000 in previous signing bonus proration, $1.08 million in new signing bonus proration, his per-game roster bonuses and his $1 million performance incentives earned from last year, his cap hit increases slightly to $4.33 million.

That cap hit is $4.16 million in 2023.

It went from being a bargain to being a bargain again.

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Cardinals, Markus Golden agree to contract extension through next season

Golden gets more money and remains with the Cardinals through the 2023 season.

The Arizona Cardinals have given another one of their players a contract extension. After re-signing tight end Zach Ertz, linebacker Dennis Gardeck and running back James Conner to three-year contracts in free agency, they gave quarterback Kyler Murray, tackle D.J. Humphries and safety Jalen Thompson extensions.

The latest is linebacker Markus Golden, the team’s only proven pass rusher on the team.

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, Golden has agreed to a contract extension through 2023 that pays him up to $6.5 million.

Golden was in the final year of his contract and was due $2 million in salary.

He led the team last season with 11 sacks, the third time in his career he had at least 10.

The deal now keeps him under contract for a very reasonable price through his age-32 season next year.

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Cardinals’ J.J. Watt, Markus Golden, Trayvon Mullen sit out Wednesday’s practice

Check out the Cardinals’ first injury report of the week.

The Arizona Cardinals held their second practice of the week in preparation for their season-opening home matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. With a Wednesday practice came the very first injury report of the year.

The Cardinals are not beginning the year as healthy as they had hoped.

Four players did not practice and another five were limited with injuries.

Check out the injury report below.

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Markus Golden, Zach Ertz to be game-day decisions to play vs. Chiefs

Kliff Kingsbury updated the status of their injuries on Monday. Wednesday’s practice participation will be big for both.

The Arizona Cardinals could be without a key starter on offense and on defense this weekend when they play their season opener at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. Tight end Zach Ertz and outside linebacker Markus Golden did not participate in the open part of practice on Monday and are going to be questionable for the game this Sunday.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that both would be game-day decisions.

Golden has been out since the beginning of August with a toe injury.

“We’ll continue to progress him and hopefully Wednesday he can do something,” Kingsbury told reporters Monday.

He added that, even if he doesn’t get a lot of work during the week, Golden could have at least a limited role on Sunday.

“But we’ll see how it plays out.”

Ertz is dealing with a calf strain. Kingsbury said his situation is similar to Golden’s. Kingsbury said he is “day-to-day.”

Again, Wednesday’s practice will be big for Ertz.

The Cardinals already have a big task to try and beat the Chiefs. Trying to do that without Ertz or Golden will not make that task any easier.

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Which Cardinals could be next to receive long-term extensions?

Following the three-year extension for safety Jalen Thompson, which other Cardinals could be next to get paid?

The Arizona Cardinals have made it a priority to keep their young, talented core intact moving forward. Following the massive contract extension for Kyler Murray, the Cardinals awarded safety Jalen Thompson a three-year deal.

Which players on the team could be next in line to receive an extension?

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