Cardinals’ 1st-round pick Zaven Collins inks 4-year deal with team option

The Arizona Cardinals announced on Tuesday that first-round pick Zaven Collins signed his rookie contract.

Drafted No. 16 overall out of Tulsa in the 2021 NFL Draft, the linebacker is inked to a four-year deal with a team option for a fifth.

The deal is reportedly worth just over 14 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who was responding to Cardinals defensive lineman J.J. Watt on Twitter after some rookie hazing last week.

Just over $14 million, so whatever you want! He can afford it.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 9, 2021

Collins finished second for the 2020 Butkus Award, which is given to the nation’s top linebacker.

He did so after accumulating 54 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions (two pick-sixes), two passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in eight games (all starts) in his final collegiate season.

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Collins is the sixth Cardinal to sign his rookie deal from the 2021 draft class.

Second-round wideout Rondale Moore remains the only one yet to put pen to paper.

Arizona began full mandatory minicamp for both rookies and veterans on Tuesday at the team’s practice facility in Tempe.

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