Uncertainty of contract situation won't impact Sendlein's approach
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Lyle Sendlein has never taken anything in his eight-year Cardinals career for granted. As an undrafted free agent in 2007, he had to fight harder than most NFL players for his opportunity.
"I came into the league trying to get a spot on the practice squad," Sendlein said. "I'm not a God-given ability type of guy. I've always had to work with what little skills I have."
It's that attitude that drove Sendlein, the team's starting center for 107 of the team's last 112 games, to play through "various" injuries last season that he refuses to list (even though the season is over) because "I'm not going to make excuses."
That same attitude has won the admiration of the coaching staff.
"Lyle's the kind of guy you want on your football team," coach Bruce Arians said recently. "He's got those great leadership skills and he's got toughness that's hard to teach."
Even so, Sendlein is at crossroads in his career. He'll turn 31 next month and he is entering the final year of his contract with the Cardinals in which he'll make a base salary of $3 million with a cap number of $4.275 million.
Cardinals GM Steve Keim made it clear Tuesday that there is still work to be done with the team's cap situation, although he did not respond to a specific question about Sendlein's status.
"Moving forward, we have to continue to monitor the salary cap and roster," Keim said. "Before we get to March 10 (the start of free agency) we have to make sure we're able to be proactive and aggressive which is always going to be our philosophy."
It's impossible to say what that means for Sendlein, but Ted Larsen can also play center (along with guard). He is under contract this season with a base salary of $1.6 million and a cap number of $2.435 million.
"The way I look at it, I always play on a one-year deal anyway," Sendlein said. "If you're not performing, they'll find someone who is.
"I hope to get the chance to play my last year on the deal, but you never know what happens. The coaching staff's job is to create competition. I would be lying if I said I didn't worry about it but that process of worrying about it is what drives me to work harder. Any second of complacency in this league, you're moving in the wrong direction."
Sendlein rates his 2014 season about average, which he said is not good enough, but it's hard to gauge how much those injuries impacted him because he won't discuss them and he won't come out when he's hurt unless he simply can't play.
"I don't like sitting in the training room. If you got treatment on every little thing you would be in there all day and I don't think that's the way it should be," said Sendlein, who admits that is an old-school approach he learned from players such as former Cardinal Vonnie Holliday. "Things are changing and guys are taking care of their bodies a lot more. That's something I'm learning as an older guy.
"When I first got into the league, the attitude was: if you're in the training room you'd better have something wrong with you. Now it's different where you're doing everything you can to take care of yourself for the team. I'm still learning that but on the other side, there are definitely guys who also need to learn a little toughness."
Sendlein said he has had no talks with the Cardinals regarding his contract this season, or about an extension. He is one of four remaining holovers from the 2009 Super Bowl team, along with receiver Larry Fitzgerald, defensive end Calais Campbell and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, who could end up elsewhere this season.
"I want to be a Cardinal. This is my home," said Sendlein, who won two 4A state championships at Scottsdale Chaparral, a 2005 national championship at Texas and has played in six NFL playoff games including a Super Bowl with the Cardinals. "I play in front of my parents and my aunts and uncles and grandparents and friends. Everybody has an opinion but it's awesome and there are so many positives to playing at home.
"I've won at all levels but what I really want to do is win a championship here, for Arizona. I hope I get that opportunity."
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