Deuce Lutui might no longer have a starting job for the Arizona Cardinals, but he does now have a contract.

The veteran guard, and restricted free agent, signed the tender offer the club extended to him today for $1.759 million. Lutui entered the offseason hoping for some security in the form of a longterm extension. Instead, the Cardinals signed Alan Faneca, a decorated veteran who played for coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm in Pittsburgh, and Lutui not only lost his starting job, he didn’t get the pay day he was seeking.

In the process, Lutui left his former agent Max Hannemann and aligned himself with Ken Harris. While it seems unlikely Lutui will be able to get a longterm deal done, he still has value to the Cardinals. Provided he remains healthy, he’ll still get a shot at the contract he is seeking one day. He’s just one of the many players caught in the middle of the labor battle between owners and players.

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