Kent Somers

azcentral sports

Former Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby is more than a little unhappy with ex-teammate Darnell Dockett, who said Dansby chased money, not a ring, in deciding to sign with the Browns this off-season.

"It pissed me off big time," Dansby told Northeast Ohio Media Group.

Dansby said he was responding to Dockett's comments only because they were "very disrespectful to my teammates."

Dansby signed a four-year deal with the Browns that's worth a maximum of $24 million, $14 million of which is guaranteed. The Cardinals had offered a two-year deal that was worth around $12 million total. Given that difference in money, most players would have made the same decision.

Last week, Dockett was asked about losing Dansby, who produced one of his best performances in 10 NFL seasons.

"No knock toward Cleveland. Everybody has a chance," Dockett said. "I just felt like it was made for him to be here. Again, the financial part…I don't know anything about that. But you look at everything we done this year, the sacrifices our defensive line made for that certain individual to make his plays. Our defensive line don't care about stats, sacks and tackles and stuff.

"I just think the opportunity was to be right here, to get into the playoffs and make a run for it. I wish him well in Cleveland but at the end of the day, we'll see who is where at the end of the season."

Dansby said Dockett's comments indicate how Dockett feels about Dansby's possible replacements.

"The way he was saying it, I feel like he doesn't believe in the guys in the locker room," Dansby said. "That's how I look at it. If I was to leave and you feel like you can't make noise because I'm gone, you don't trust the guys that are there."

My opinion: there is no blame to be placed in Dansby's departure. The Cardinals can't be faulted for deciding not to give Dansby, who turns 33 in November, a multi-year contract with a large guarantee. Dansby can't be faulted for taking the money.

Perhaps the most interesting comment out of Cleveland came from linebacker Quentin Groves, who played for the Cardinals in 2012.

"Dockett's the kind of guy, he's going to talk," said Groves. "He loves to talk, it's nothing against him. Me and Dockett are good friends, but at the same time, if the shoe was ever on the other foot, I would promise you this, it would be interesting to see what he does."