Warner, Cards agree on three-year deal
QB could make $22 million
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 14, 2006
The Cardinals and quarterback Kurt Warner agreed to terms on a three-year contract Tuesday, keeping Warner in a Cardinals uniform and off the free-agent market.
Warner played last year in Arizona under a one-year, $4 million contract and was due to become an unrestricted free agent March 3.
Exact terms of the deal were not available. At minimum, Warner would make about $15 million over the three years, said his agent Mark Bartelstein. With incentives, he could make around $22 million.
Warner’s signing is the first key move of the off-season for the Cardinals, who had few other options at quarterback. Josh McCown, the team’s backup, will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
John Navarre is currently the backup quarterback. A seventh-round pick in 2004, he’s played in two games in two years.
Warner, who turns 35 in June, played in 10 games last season, completing 64.5 percent of his passes for 2,713 yards and 11 touchdowns.
He was intercepted nine times and missed four games because of groin and knee injuries. McCown started the other two games.
“It was definitely a lot of work,” Bartelstein said of the contract. “There was a whole lot of time spent. This was something both sides wanted and were determined to get it done. He (Warner) views it as a great opportunity. He thinks there are a couple pieces away from being a dynamic team.”