The cost of keeping Kurt Warner should far exceed what the Cardinals expected when they let his contract run out after the Super Bowl. Top-of-the-line quarterbacks make between $12 million and $16 million a year, so the thoughts of paying him $9 million or $10 million a year might not convince him to stay.
In fact, the Cardinals might have to franchise him before Thursday. The price of quarterbacks keeps increasing, and Warner is coming off a magical year in which he was one of the best in football.
T.J. departing? The Bengals' decision to franchise kicker
Shayne Graham means wide receiver
T.J. Houshmandzadeh is probably going to leave. The Bengals could have franchised Houshmandzadeh and prevented his departure, but it's now clear that he will hit the free-agent market and leave a void for the Bengals at wide receiver. He's considered the top receiver available in free agency. It's not a surprise that the Bengals wouldn't make more of a push to keep him, because the franchise usually doesn't like to re-sign starting receivers who are over 30 years old. Houshmandzadeh is 31.
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John Clayton
