Karlos Dansby “Definitely Expects” To Be Back With The Cardinals Next Year

Impending free agent LB Karlos Dansby has made it clear that he expects to return to Arizona next season.

“I definitely expect to be an Arizona Cardinal next year,” Dansby said during an interview with Sirius XM NFL radio on Monday. “We don’t have long here (before free agency) so we’ll get to talking and try and hammer something out.”

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com writes that the Cardinals still face a tough decision regarding Dansby, as he has clearly earned a raise based on his play last year.

Despite Dansby’s productivity, Urban notes that GM Steve Keim will be “careful not to hamstring his club as he works toward the bigger salary cap cleanup he has undertaken since being promoted“.

Last offseason, after being cut by the Miami Dolphins, Dansby found few suitors, and eventually signed a one-year deal worth $2.25 million with Arizona.

Dansby had a very productive season in Todd Bowles scheme registering 135 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and four interceptions from his inside linebacker position.

As Urban notes however, teams are hesitant to give out big money to aging players-Dansby will be 33 in November.  The decision is magnified considering the Cardinals only have an estimated $9.5 million in potential cap space, according to overthecap.com, even after restructuring Larry Fitzgerald‘s deal.

Still, Dansby remains optimistic in not only his future with Arizona, but in solidifying himself as an elite linebacker stating, “I’ve got some things up my sleeve to solidify myself as the best linebacker in the league, period“.

We have Dansby listed as the No. 45 player in our Top 50 Free Agents list.