Bryant McFadden Finally Finds Home, Signs With Cardinals

Heading into free agency, most people assumed that former Steeler Bryant McFadden would be in demand, perhaps even the first cornerback to ink a big-money deal. Ten days and a handful of defensive back signings later, McFadden finally got a new contract. And it has to be a lot less than what he was expecting: he's headed to Arizona for two years and $10 million.

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From ESPN's John Clayton:

McFadden will make $5 million in 2009 and $5 million in 2010. A source indicated that the entire salary for 2009 is guaranteed.

As one of the best players remaining in free agency, McFadden had some interesting options. He could have returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers as a starter or signed with Philadelphia or Miami, which both expressed interest.

It's sort of surprising that the Steelers weren't willing to massage the salary cap in order to give McFadden $10 million over two seasons -- or maybe they did and McFadden wasn't interested. Either way, William Gay, a third-year player out of Louisville, will move into the starting job opposite Ike Taylor. And it's a role he's familiar with: Gay had four starts in 2008, and by the end of the season, he and McFadden rotated in the game every other series.

And it's this last fact that may have something to do with the lukewarm interest in McFadden once he hit free agency. That said, in Arizona, he'll be an upgrade over Roderick Hood, who opposing offenses targeted for most of last season.

Even though Pittsburgh still has three cornerbacks who are capable of starting (Deshea Townsend rounds out the trio), the team will probably target the position in the draft. Hopefully, sometime after they get an offensive and defensive lineman.