Cardinals creating cap room via salary cuts

There was a time, in the not so distant past, when the Arizona Cardinals had no desire to touch an existing player’s contract. That meant no extensions for a player whose deal might be ending.

The team’s thinking has changed, with the Cardinals making sure players like Anquan Boldin, Adrian Wilson, Neil Rackers and Darnell Dockett were under contract before hitting free agency.

Now, the Cards are working the other side of the business model.

Looking to free salary cap space and to also bring some players’ salaries in line with their projected roles, the Cardinals have asked players to take pay cuts. Tackle Oliver Ross was receptive, and he remains on the team. Defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy and guard Milford Brown declined, and they were released.

It’s not as if the franchise has never done it before — for example, then-coach Buddy Ryan asked receiver Gary Clark to take a pay reduction back in 1994 — but it’s a resource the Cards have been extremely reluctant to use.

“It is a tool, in terms of salary cap management, we should consider,” said vice president of football operations Rod Graves.

The Cardinals are believed to have between $7 million and $8 million in cap space available, and they have other avenues in which they can create more room.

For instance, backup quarterback Kurt Warner is making $4 million this season.

While it is unlikely the Cards would ask him to take a straight pay cut, the team could turn some of the salary into signing bonus and spread out the cap hit.

But Warner’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said the team has not approached Warner about any kind of contract restructuring.

As for the cuts that were already discussed, not all were created equal.

Graves declined to talk about Ross’ situation and Ross’ agent has not returned phone messages. But an NFL source confirmed Ross, whose salary was sliced from $2.8 million to $1.8 million, has incentives built in to recoup his money should he start.

That is unlikely, given that No. 1 pick Levi Brown is expected to start in front of Ross. Still, it was unlikely Ross would have found a $1.8 million contract if he had chosen to be released.

The decision was easier for Clancy. His agent, Ron Del Duca, said the Cards asked Clancy to go from a $1.5 million salary to the minimum — which for Clancy would have been $595,000.

Milford Brown, whose agent has not returned phone messages, had been making $2.35 million.

Del Duca said he was also upset his client was told the news about the possible pay cut by coach Ken Whisenhunt instead of Graves calling the agent.

“The coach shouldn’t bring it to the player,” Del Duca said. “That’s my job as an agent, that’s their job as a front office. We are the buffers.”

Graves said telling the players first is the organization’s choice because it allows the team to deliver its unfiltered message.

“Otherwise, the situation has the potential to go bad,” Graves said.

For Clancy, the situation worked out. He signed a new three-year, $5.2 million contract with New Orleans.

Brown, meanwhile, remains out of work.

“It’s part of the business,” Del Duca said. “Sometimes the team has the upper hand. Sometimes the player has the upper hand.”

EXTRA POINT: Graves said nothing of significance had happened yet in contract negotiations between the team and top pick Levi Brown. Graves, who is on vacation, said he expected talks with Brown to begin next week.