Kurt Warner's Agent to Talk to Cardinals This Week

Kurt Warner is about to become an unrestricted free agent, and if the Cardinals think they're going to convince him to sign at a discount to remain in Arizona, Warner's agent wants them to know he has other ideas.

The agent, Mark Bartelstein, told the Arizona Republic that he plans to talk to the Cardinals this week, and he expects the Cardinals to make him an offer commensurate with Warner's status as one of the best players in the league in 2008:

"I don't look at discounts," Bartelstein said. "Every deal has its own unique circumstances. I don't go into it with a preconceived notion. You find what the issues are with your client and for the team and try to agree on something that makes sense."

So what would make sense for Warner and the Cardinals? As great a season as Warner had, it wouldn't make much sense for the Cardinals to sign him to a long-term deal, considering that he turns 38 in June. But Bartelstein is right that it also wouldn't make sense for Warner to agree to a contract that gives the Cardinals a discount, considering that on the free market some team would likely offer him a fortune.

What might make the most sense for everyone is for the Cardinals to slap the franchise tag on Warner, and for Warner to sign it. That would guarantee Warner a salary of $14.65 million in 2009, which is the average salary of the five highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. It would reward Warner for having a good year and keep him in Arizona without locking the Cardinals into a long-term deal with a guy who only has a couple of years left. When Bartelstein and the Cardinals talk this week, the franchise tender should be on the table.