A season-ending ACL tear apparently hasn't deterred the Arizona Cardinals from looking to sign Tyrann Mathieu to a contract that could make him the NFL's highest-paid safety.
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Monday that the Cards are in "deep" negotiations with the Honey Badger, who was a Pro Bowler and First-team All-Pro selection last season.
"From what I am told, a new payday is expected to make him among the highest paid, if not the highest-paid safety in the NFL," Rapoport said. "Don't be surprised, if all goes well, if this is done before everyone breaks for the summer."
The 5-foot-9, 186-pound Mathieu was the Cardinals' third-round draft pick in 2013. He has overcome off-field issues during his collegiate career at LSU to become one of the NFL's top players, and he has become a model athlete away from the field, as well.
Mathieu suffered a season-ending ACL tear near the end of the Cards' Week 15 win at the Philadelphia Eagles. He had surgery to repair the damage, and it is unknown whether he will be healthy in time for the beginning of the Cardinals' 2016 season.
Mathieu is entering the final year of his current four-year deal with the Cards. He is set to make roughly $1.5 million in 2016.
Who's the NFL's highest-paid safety at the moment? It depends on how you look at it.
"Seattle's Earl Thomas earns $10 million per season, New England's Devin McCourty has the highest guarantee at $22 million and Eric Berry is under the franchise tag at $10.8 million in Kansas City," NFL.com's Kevin Patra reported.
