Tyler Cooper

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

This Tyler Cooper signing earns a C CVI grade — a fair market deal that reflects the reality of depth guard acquisitions in today's NFL. At $0.9M for one year, Cooper lands squarely in replacement-level territory salary-wise, which aligns with what teams typically pay for interior line depth pieces who may compete for a backup role or special teams contribution. The one-year structure carries minimal risk for the signing team, essentially functioning as an extended tryout with no long-term financial commitment beyond the veteran minimum tier. Cooper's contract represents the type of low-cost, low-risk move teams make to fill out their offensive line depth chart, where the upside is finding a capable backup and the downside is simply moving on after the season. This deal won't move the needle significantly for any franchise, but it's the kind of prudent roster management that keeps teams from being caught short-handed if injuries hit their interior line.

Performance Analysis

Tyler Cooper is a below-average guard in his rookie season, and his D+ performance grade reflects the limited sample and modest impact he has generated across just three games for a Cardinals team that finished 3-14. With only three games of data to work from, there is genuinely little to hang a statistical narrative on — the honest assessment is that Cooper has not yet demonstrated the consistency or dominance required to project him as a reliable starter at the NFL level. His role at this point is best described as fringe roster depth, the kind of player a rebuilding offense cycles through at the bottom of the depth chart hoping something sticks. The mediaFraming surrounding his situation is telling: the Cardinals' recent roster activity has been characterized as standard churn rather than intentional investment, which does not suggest Cooper is being groomed for a meaningful role. At 25 and still in his first year, the age factor works in his favor in theory, but one season of limited action does not leave much runway for optimism unless he forces his way into a larger role during the preseason ahead of the September 10 regular season opener. Right now, Cooper projects as roster filler rather than a building block, and with sentiment trending downward over the past month, the burden of proof heading into the offseason is entirely on him.

Fan Sentiment

Arizona makes a routine depth move, claiming LB Austin Keys while cutting guard Tyler Cooper. Headlines confirm this was part of a four-move roster shuffle ahead of the Rams game. Keys is a developmental linebacker with limited NFL impact, signaling a low-stakes depth addition. Fans are largely indifferent, with more attention on Trey Benson's IR status dominating the conversation. The Cardinals will likely use Keys as a special teams contributor with minimal defensive snaps.