Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Talks between Cardinals, Darnell Dockett ramping up

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona Cardinals' offseason to-do list has been quickly getting shorter by the week.

Next up is lowering Darnell Dockett's $9.8 million cap hit in 2015 either by giving him a new contract, restructuring his current deal or releasing the 11-year veteran.

With Larry Fitzgerald's new deal completed, and Cardinals general manager Steve Keim and coach Bruce Arians receiving new contracts Monday, Arizona is now focused on Dockett.

“We’ve had a lot of dialogue with Drew Rosenhaus, his representative, and hopefully we’ll come to a happy agreement on both sides,” Keim said Tuesday.

Dockett is entering the final year of his contract and is scheduled to earn $6.8 million next season. His cap hit is the fifth largest on the roster behind Patrick Peterson, Calais Campbell, Carson Palmer and Fitzgerald.

Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said Tuesday morning on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM that he wants Dockett to retire as a Cardinal.

“We love Darnell,” he said. “We drafted him. We drafted him in the same class as Fitz. I’d love to have him retires as a Cardinal. I think that’s what he needs to do, is stay in a Cardinal uniform. We’re looking forward to working with him to restructure his deal. It will free up some cap space so we can be out there being aggressive and being a team and getting a ring on his finger.”

Dockett will turn 34 in May and is coming off ACL surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2014 season.

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