Appreciative. That's the word.

I'm not sad, because it was time. In a league where roster spots are coveted and controlled by younger, fresher players, Wilson was out of time with the Cardinals. He just wasn't going to be able to bring the kind of value to one of those roster spots to justify owning one.

So the Cardinals put on their grownup pants and did what they needed to do: they moved on.

And it's interesting that the man who made that decision, GM Steve Keim, was the same man who pushed the organization to select Wilson with the 64th pick in the 2001 draft.

To Wilson's credit, and to no one's surprise whatsoever, his reaction was pure class. He had already taken a pay cut last year and had to know this was coming, yet he handled it gracefully.

I'm appreciative of AW, not sad. When you consider what the Cardinals were when he got here and what they are now that he's leaving…it was a difficult gap to bridge. But AW bridged it and in doing so remained loyal to an organization that at times didn't deserve it. His willingness to stick with this team is what made him so unique. That loyalty, combined with the fact he was one of only six players in the history of the league to amass 25 or more interceptions and 25 or more sacks, made him special.