The Arizona Cardinals awarded free safety Tyrann Matthieu with a contract extension yesterday, signing Matthieu to a five year, $62.5 million dollar contract. 

Some will question whether or not Matthieu is worth that type of contract. He had character issues coming out of LSU and he’s a free safety. Both are valid points, but Matthieu has turned his life around and he’s one of the premier defensive playmakers in the league. He’s worth the money.

The Cardinals defense was not the same after Matthieu got hurt at the end of last season. Matthieu isn’t just an elite defender in coverage, he’s a willing run defender and he provides the Cardinals with scheme versatility. If you can bring those two things to the table, you’ll get paid.

Owner Michael Bidwell and general manager Steve Keim are comfortable paying Matthieu this type of money because they believe in him and they believe in the locker room Bruce Arians has established in Arizona. The support system is in place to validate giving Matthieu this contract.

Tyrann Matthieu is one of the best defenders in the league. He’s an impact player who makes plays on a consistent basis. He deserves the contract extension he got and he’s well worth it.