Report: Mack Wilson agrees to three-year contract with Arizona Cardinals

Monday has been a crazy day in NFL free agency, with teams reshaping their roster within a matter of minutes. The Arizona Cardinals have been looking for defensive help and found some later in the day, signing a linebacker away from the New England Patriots.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Arizona has signed Mack Wilson to a three-year contract. It’s worth $12.75 million but can elevate to $15 million. A nice payday for Wilson while the Cardinals get a nice piece at linebacker.

“Source: Former #Patriots LB Mack Wilson has agreed to terms with the #AZCardinals on a 3-year, $12.75M deal worth up to $15M,” Rapoport said via X. “More help on defense.”

Wilson is a former fifth-round selection out of Alabama, originally playing for the Cleveland Browns. After three seasons, New England picked him up and he became a valuable part of the rotation. However, the two decided to move on with one another this offseason.

In 34 career games with the Patriots, just four of them were starts. Wilson recorded 73 tackles, six tackles for a loss, and 5.0 sacks. He forced three fumbles as well, providing a spark in the turnover department.

Arizona was one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL last season, finishing dead last in total yards allowed on the ground. While defensive line play certainly plays a factor, Wilson will be brought in to be a part of the solution.

More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2024 calendar year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially run out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams will have a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams can enter into a legal negotiation with players who are set to become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marks the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. Following the restricted free agent deadline comes the 2024 NFL Draft, which runs from April 25-27.

More on restricted, exclusive rights free agents

Players with only three years of accredited NFL experience become restricted free agents. Their original team will have the option to apply first-round, second-round, original-round, and right-of-fight-of-first-refusal tenders on players at escalating price tags. The higher the round, the more expensive the tender amount; however, if a separate team does offer a contract and the original team does not match, that round’s pick will be conveyed from the new team to the original team. Right of first refusal only gives a team the option to match or not. If they don’t match, they get nothing in return. An original-round tender would send a draft pick from whatever round the player was drafted back to the original team if they chose not to match. The original team will have five days to match once a player signs an offer sheet from a new team.