Big Red
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- Mar 16, 2019
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"That's obviously an area we respect and understand every person in this league has to do what's best for themselves and their families," Kingsbury said prior to Gilbert's announcement. "I think you see the league being very understanding of that, and want guys to do what they need to do in their own personal lives."
Gilbert's one-year contract tolls – meaning he will enter the 2021 season under the same deal he had for 2020 with the Cardinals. As a high-risk player he is entitled to a $350,000 stipend, although that would be applied as a pay advance to his 2021 salary.
Gilbert and tight end Maxx Williams had been on the NFI-illness list, but Kingsbury earlier Tuesday had called it procedural and that both Gilbert and Williams would be activated soon. Williams was officially activated Tuesday afternoon after passing his physical.
Optimism had been good with Gilbert. Health on the field was the lone question. Gilbert was arguably the team's best offensive lineman in camp last year before he tore his ACL in the Thursday practice before the regular-season opener.
"(Marcus) has been a really good player in this league a long time, and if he can start off at that level, then he's going to slide back in there," Kingsbury said last week.
Instead, the Cardinals will go in a different direction. Murray started 12 games last season and was one of the most improved players on the roster, the coaches believed. Jones figures to be the future at right tackle, but he remains somewhat raw and rookies are particularly behind this season after the offseason work was wiped out. Beachum, recently signed, has started 99 games in his career, although he has primarily been a left tackle.
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