Report: Ex-Giants LB Markus Golden Asking for $10M Annual Salary in FA Contract

Former New York Giants linebacker Markus Golden is still on the market, and his reported asking price appears to be the main reason why. 

The 29-year-old impressed with 10 sacks and a career-high 72 tackles across 16 regular-season starts for the Giants last season.

"Somehow, that production still hasn't benefited Golden in free agency, and the $10 million-per-year ship has sailed," ESPN's Jordan Raanan wrote. "That is believed to have been Golden's asking price, a source told ESPN. Golden has attracted interest from other NFL teams, but that price was more than any of the pass-rush-needy teams were willing to pay."

"The $10 million is gone," an anonymous source familiar with the league's edge-rusher market told Raanan. "Don't think he's getting [$8 million]. But it won't be too far off."

Last season was Golden's lone year in New York. The Arizona Cardinals selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft, and Golden played for the Cardinals through 2018.

Golden's 16 starts for the Giants were his most in a single-season since entering the league. The Missouri product struggled with injuries in Arizona after impressive rookie and sophomore campaigns:

Golden's career-high 12.5 sacks came in 2016 before he was limited to four games in 2017 due to a torn ACL and 11 contests in 2018. The Giants benefitted from glimpses of pre-injured Golden in 2019 as his 10 sacks led the New York defense.

Big Blue has already made moves at linebacker in free agency, however, by signing former Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Blake Martinez to a three-year, $30.75 million deal and former Packers outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell on a one-year, $4.6 million contract.

Per Spotrac, Golden's market value is $13.5 million in average annual salary.