Contract details for CB Max Melton, the Cardinals’ 2nd-round picks
The Arizona Cardinals selected 12 players in the draft nearly three weeks ago and of the 257 total picked in the three-day event, through Tuesday 162 have already officially signed contracts submitted to the league. That leaves only 95 unsigned.
The Cardinals have now signed eight of their 12 picks after announcing deals Tuesday with cornerback Max Melton (second round, No. 43 overall) and guard Isaiah Adams (third round, No. 71 overall).
Card Wire has learned the four-year contract terms for Melton, but the same-length contract for Adams is not available yet.
Melton’s contract is worth $8,888,308 that has $6,931,266 guaranteed, including a $3,284,224 signing bonus.
The base salaries are $795,000 this year; $1,199,014 in 2025; $1,603,028 in 2026 and $2,007,042 in 2027. The first three years of base salaries are fully guaranteed, while $50,000 is guaranteed in 2027.
If Melton is still on the team that year, his salary will likely increase to whatever the lowest tender is for restricted free agents. This year, that figure is $2.985 million.
There are no split salaries in the contract, so Melton will receive his entire base salary if he winds up on injured reserve.
The salary cap charge this year for Melton is $1,616,056. That results in an immediate net cap of about $600,000 because his signing pushes a contract worth around $1 million in cap space out of the top 51.
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