The Arizona Cardinals are working to re-sign defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter, who is scheduled to become a restricted free agent (RFA) Wednesday.
However, it might not be easy.
While at the combine, general manager Monti Ossenfort was asked about re-signing Ledbetter and wide receiver Greg Dortch, and said, “It’s part of a bigger picture view of the roster and how we’re going to construct it because unfortunately, there’s a salary cap and how those pieces fit together. Those are discussions we’re going through right now, but I think the world of those two guys and they’ve made a lot of plays and played a lot of snaps for us and we’re going to put that piece together here as we go.”
Because Dortch is an exclusive-rights free agent (ERFA), that process is simpler because when tendered, a player can’t negotiate with other teams. Earlier this week, it was reported the Cardinals tendered Dortch at $1.125 million.
There have been reports Ledbetter would also be an ERFA, making it relatively painless to tender him. However, because he spent most of the 2019 season on injured reserve with the Miami Dolphins, that makes him a RFA with three accrued seasons.
Players gain an accrued season with a minimum of six games in a season on an active roster, injured reserve or reserve/physically unable to perform. Accrued seasons determine a player’s free agent status.
Minimum salaries are based on credited seasons with a minimum of three games on the active roster, but being on injured reserve does not count.
For 2024, the minimum salary for two credited seasons is $985,000 and it is $1.055 million for three. That isn’t a huge difference, but the RFA rules complicate Ledbetter’s situation especially because he suffered a knee injury, tearing his ACL, and was on injured reserve for the final two games of the season.
The team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for 2023, he was on stage at NFL Honors Feb. 8 with the assistance of a cane.
The lowest RFA tender for Ledbetter would $2.985 million because he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent. That tender is likely too rich for the Cardinals.
However, many teams re-sign their RFA players by not tendering them and then negotiating a lower salary.
Sources have told Cards Wire that’s what the Cardinals and Ledbetter are working toward with the possibility that incentives and per-game roster bonuses could be included in the contract, as well as a roster bonus payable when he can pass a physical.
In 12 games started last season, Ledbetter had 46 tackles (25 solo) with one for a loss along with 1.5 sacks. In those games, he played 64 percent of the snaps.
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