Why would the Cardinals offer an extra $583,000 to Deuce Lutui for no apparent reason?


They would not.

The one-year offer they made to Lutui as a restricted free agent seemed generous at first. The team tendered Lutui at a second-round level when the cheaper original-round tender would have seemingly accomplished same thing.

Here's the deal: The Cardinals' decision to use an elevated first-round tender for receiver Steve Breaston would have downgraded the return on an original-round tender to Lutui. In short, the team would have received only a third-round choice in return for losing Lutui even though Lutui entered the NFL as a second-round choice -- all because Breaston, a fifth-round choice in 2007, received a higher tender.

It's confusing and not entirely logical, but that explains why the Cardinals spent the extra $583,000.

It wasn't a kind gesture to Lutui so much as a business decision.