Cardinals DE/OLB Markus Golden Likely To Test Free Agent Market

According to Matt Verderame of Fansided, Cardinals DE/OLB Markus Golden is likely to test the open market.

Verderame notes that Arizona “loves” the edge rushers in this year’s draft class and are already paying Chandler Jones big money.

Last week, Golden said during an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio that he’s open to returning to Arizona. 

“Yes, yes. My agent’s been talking to them, on and off, during the season, so I never cut out the possibility of returning. We’ll see how it works out, man,” Golden said.

“Arizona gave me the opportunity to play, so we’ll see how it works out. No matter what happens, I’ll be ready and I’ll be prepared because I’m going to keep on working and I’m going to keep putting the work in.”

After dealing with injuries the past few years including a torn ACL in 2017, Golden says he’s now 100 percent. 

“I’m basically a hundred percent, I feel good,” Golden said. “I’ve been working hard, I’ve been training and everything. And I’ve actually been able to actually get this offseason and been able to work this offseason. Because the last offseason, of course, I was hurt from my ACL injury.”

Golden, 27, is a former second-round pick of the Cardinals back in 2015. He played out the final year of his four-year rookie contract and is now in position to test the free agent market for the first time in his NFL career. 

In 2018, Golden appeared in 11 games for the Cardinals and recorded 30 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two pass defenses.