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Golden

Golden’s decision comes eight days after re-signing with the Steelers. He remained productive in his final NFL season, totaling 5.0 NFL sacks while producing a career-best 17.0 percent pass-rush win rate. He spent seven seasons with the Cardinals, who drafted him in the 2015 NFL draft’s second round. He retires with 53.5 NFL sacks to his name.

Golden spent all of last season with the Steelers, appearing in 16 games while totaling 20 tackles, six TFLs, and four sacks. The veteran linebacker is entering his 10th year in the league and is likely being brought on to play a role similar to last season. Golden didn’t start a game for the Steelers in 2023, playing on just 230 defensive snaps as a role player. This doesn’t look like anything more than a depth signing at this time.

Golden visited with the Steelers on Tuesday and was signed by Wednesday. Released by the Cardinals as a cap casualty earlier this offseason, Golden, who managed just 2.5 sacks last season, will look to rebound with the Steelers while playing opposite T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Golden totaled 11 sacks with the Cardinals in 2021 but has been inconsistent as a pass rusher since entering the league in 2015. At worst, he’s a veteran presence who will provide added depth to a pass rush that’s thin behind Watt.

Golden had 11.5 sacks in 2021, but flopped to just 2.5 in 2022 despite actually playing more snaps last season. He’d be a pass-downs rotational piece for the Steelers, who don’t have much established depth behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

The Cardinals save $3 million with a $1 million dead cap hit on Golden, who would have counted $4.2 million against the cap. Golden’s sack rate dropped after an 11-sack 2021 to 2.5 sacks with seven TFLs in 17 games last year. Arizona is likely to look to the draft to replace Golden and J.J. Watt (retirement) this offseason.

It’s reportedly worth $6.5 million. Golden missed some time at practice this week with a toe injury, a sign that some reporters took as him negotiating this contract -- Golden told reporters today that he dropped a kettleball on his toe. Golden had 11 sacks last season and is a fine complementary EDGE rusher. With the Cardinals this year, he’ll be pushed into the No. 1 role without Chandler Jones.

Thursday marks the first practice of the week for Golden, who coach Kliff Kingsbury called “a game-day decision” on Monday. Golden getting on the field is a good sign for the Cards after he unexpectedly missed practice earlier this week. Little has been said about Golden’s injury at this point, which would suggest he’s in line to play in Sunday’s Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs.

The Cardinals won’t release their first injury report until Wednesday, but Golden was not seen in the open portion of Monday’s practice according to Cardinals beat reporter Darren Urban. Last season, Golden totaled 48 tackles and 11 sacks for the Cardinals in 16 games. Any injury to Golden would be news to us. Until we receive an official word on his status, we’ll assume Golden will be ready for Week 1 against the Chiefs.

Golden has terrorized opposing offenses this year, racking up 11 sacks and 10 TFLs in his seventh NFL season. While the new COVID rules make it easier for him to return if he’s vaccinated, Golden is still likely to miss at least a week. The Cardinals will have to proceed without him as they attempt to keep their hopes of earning a first-round bye alive versus Dallas in Week 17. Expect both offenses to put points on the board in a back-and-forth affair.

The Cardinals acquired the pass rusher from the Giants in a trade last October. He went on to record 13 tackles and three sacks in nine games for Arizona. Golden is eighth among all edge defenders in total QB pressures since the start of the 2019 season. Golden will join J.J. Watt on an Arizona defensive line that was graded by Pro Football Focus as 2020’s 11th worst pass rushing unit.