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The prices of free agency, and other stuff

As we get past the first few days of free agency and the contract numbers begin to trickle in, we got a sense of how pricey the market was for some (like Calais Campbell) and how the Cards have interpreted those who have left and who have arrived. With that, some thoughts on some of the contracts handed out to recently departed and freshly minted Cardinals:

-- Campbell got $30 million guaranteed over the first two years of his four-year deal, and gets a $3M bonus in early 2019 if the Jaguars choose to keep him. That's a lot of money, but it's why the Cardinals-Campbell marriage was destined to end. The Jags had (have) oodles of cap space, so they front-loaded the contract. The Cards didn't see fiscally how that would make sense for them.

-- The same goes for the $19 million guaranteed for Tony Jefferson and the $8 million guaranteed for Marcus Cooper, who got a three-year deal with the Bears. Bruce Arians said Cooper could get big money, and he did. I have to say I was a little surprised.

-- Along those lines, I've heard from a handful of fans asking me about doing something like a trade for Patriots RFA CB Malcolm Butler. Not going to happen. To give up a pick and be facing a need for a giant contract extension in a secondary that already has two giant contracts with Pat P and Honey Badger, nope. This draft class is strong at cornerback. I'd guess they will draft one at some point. Will they add a vet? Maybe, but it won't be for giant money.

-- Karlos Dansby gets $2 million if he stays healthy and plays a lot. That's a reasonable contract for a soon-to-be 36-year-old who figures to start. (Kevin Minter, who was unlikely to return after Dansby signed, was reportedly visiting the Colts Monday.)

-- Jarvis Jones, the Steelers' OLB free agent, was visiting the Cardinals. That would seem tied to Alex Okafor, who was visiting the Saints. If Okafor comes back to the Cardinals, they won't need Jones. If Okafor departs, there's a need Jones could fill.

-- Have to say I was a little surprised Andre Ellington returned, not because the Cards wouldn't want him -- they need players behind David Johnson and Ellington can produce, especially as a receiver -- but because I thought he'd want to find a place where he might get more time. The running backs market is not robust. And Ellington said he wanted to stay. Speaking of prices, I'm sure it was a team-friendly contract. It'd be good to see Ellington break off a couple of those electrifying plays he had his first couple of years.

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