Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Markus Golden ready to return, agrees to contract extension

Cardinals outside linebacker Markus Golden insisted on Friday that the reason he hasn’t practiced in more than a month had nothing to do with his desire for a contract extension, as some national pundits have speculated.

It was the result, he said, of an accident in the weight room when a 50-pound kettlebell fell on his foot, fracturing a toe.

“It hurt pretty bad. It hurt real bad, dropping a 50-pound kettlebell on your toe,” Golden said in the locker room after practicing for a second straight day. “But I can get through it. I’m strong enough.”

Shortly after speaking with reporters, news broke that Golden had agreed to a one-year contract extension with Arizona through the 2023 season. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, Golden will be paid $6.5 million next season. This year, he is scheduled to earn $3.2 million, including roster and incentive bonuses.

Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim confirmed the extension for Golden Friday afternoon in an Arizona Sports 98.7 radio interview.

Golden brushed off his contract situation before news of his extension was revealed, saying, “I let everything take care of itself.”

“I’m a guy who’s going to work hard no matter what,” he said. “I’m going to come out and do my thing and grind. Of course, you want to get paid. It’s a business. But that ain’t been on my mind at all. I’ve been focusing on getting back and getting ready for the game.”

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Golden led the team with 11 sacks last season, the third time he’s reached double digits in his career. In addition to registering 44 tackles in 2021, he also forced four fumbles and had two fumble recoveries.

Golden said he expects to play Sunday in the season opener against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs. He said he’s able to push off and run despite his sore toe.

“I was myself today, flying around, running to the ball and just doing everything I normally do,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep working it and getting into football shape. The only way you can do that is by playing football.”

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Coach Kliff Kingsbury has indicated that Golden might not play as many defensive snaps as he normally would on Sunday. The team will be monitoring what he can and cannot do and may have to use a rotation of pass rushers to spell Golden on the opposite side of fellow starter Dennis Gardeck.

However much he plays, Golden only has one thing in mind – getting to the quarterback. In this case, it will be one of the NFL’s best in Patrick Mahomes.

“I don’t care who’s back there. I don’t care if it’s Patrick Mahomes or some quarterback we don’t know,” Golden said. “I’m ready to get you, man, no matter who you is. Patrick Mahomes, I got a lot of respect for him. One of the greatest payers to ever play this game in my opinion just watching him on film. Anytime you can play against a guy like that, you look forward to it for sure.”

Final injury report

Kingsbury said the Cardinals had one of their best practices since the start of training camp on Friday, but he also could be in a precarious situation as it relates to the depth chart due to so many injuries throughout the roster.

In addition to wide receiver Rondale Moore (hamstring), backup cornerback Travon Mullen Jr. (toe) and left guard Cody Ford (ankle) having been ruled out, the status of tight end Zach Ertz (calf strain), left guard Justin Pugh (neck), defensive end J.J. Watt (calf strain) and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (illness) were uncertain. All four players were listed as questionable for Sunday.

With so many players’ availability up in the air, how much of a wrench does that throw into Kingsbury’s original game plans?

“You try to establish some backup plans if it’s like, ‘Hey, if this guy can’t go, this guy will be taking that play and if that guy can’t go, he’ll be taking that play,’ ” Kingsbury said. “You prepare for those emergency scenarios. Skill-wise, we feel we have some good depth guys, that guys can step in there and play.

“Same on defense. Cornerback, we’ve talked about it, the depth there is a bit scary going into Week 1 against this team particularly. But we feel like some other position we have good depth and guys that can step up and contribute at a high level.”

The Chiefs did not list any players as being out, doubtful or questionable.

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Hamilton update

Cornerback Antonio Hamilton, who had earned a starting job before suffering burns on his legs and feet during a cooking accident at home, appears to be making a quick recovery. Although Hamilton will have to miss the first four weeks of the season upon being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, he will be able to start some football activity next week.

“I think he’ll be able to start participating in some form or fashion lightly,” Kingsbury said. “It’s new territory for all of us, that type of accident and that type of injury, but I think by next week he’ll be able to do something and then we’ll try to progress him from there.

“He’s made great progress. When I first saw him, he could barely move around. Now he’s walking around and feeling a lot better.”

Somewhere in ‘the middle’

In an article published this week on SPIN's website, 98 musicians were asked about the NFL season. One was Zach Lind, the drummer for the band Jimmy Eat World who is a Phoenix area native.

Lind said the Cardinals are hard to predict and that they could make a playoff run or could win less than eight games.

"Either outcome wouldn't be much of a surprise," he said.

Lind said he'd be a lot more pessimistic if center Rodney Hudson had decided to retire, and that he loves the trade for wide receiver Marquis "Hollywood" Brown.

"Let's hope he runs as fast as he drives," Lind said in the article, alluding to Brown's arrest for excessive speeding on a Phoenix-area freeway in August.

Lind's player to watch is safety Jalen Thompson, and he thinks the Cardinals will finish 9-8 this season and miss the playoffs.

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Have an opinion on the Arizona Cardinals? Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic.com and follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac. Listen to him live on Fox Sports 910-AM every Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 on Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch. 

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals OLB Markus Golden has agreed to a 1-year contract extension