With NFL teams to be allowed to start talking with available free agents on Monday morning, the Cardinals made sure to keep a handful of their own pending free agents off the market.
Kicker Chad Ryland, punter Blake Gillikin and defensive lineman L.J. Collier all agreed to one-year contract extensions it was announced on Monday, locking them up for 2026.
Terms are not yet known.
Collier becomes an important depth piece after the Cardinals released Dalvin Tomlinson and Bilal Nichols earlier in the week. The Cards still have Walter Nolen III, Dante Stills and Darius Robinson, and there is a chance to bring back free agent Calais Campbell if he chooses not to retire.
Ryland had a career-high 111 points in 2025, although his field-goal percentage slipped from 87 to 76, making 25 of 33 tries. He made 6-of-10 attempts from at least 50 yards, and he will face competition with Josh Karty, who was picked up off the Rams practice squad late in the season for a 2026 look.
Gillikin was averaging an outstanding 51.7 yards a punt through five games last season and a career-high 45.4 net yards a punt. But a serious back injury ended his season, the second time in his career Gillikin has had a season derailed with a back injury.
The NFL negotiating period begins at 9 a.m. Monday. Teams can negotiate with players starting then, although no players can officially sign with new teams before 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11.
