Larry Fitzgerald

[Totally_Red]

Last night was exhibit A in why it is, at best, premature, or at worst, idiotic, to jump to the conclusion that Fitz should be cut next spring without making EVERY effort to restructure his contract.

He is far and away the Cardinals' best player on offense PERIOD. I'm convinced he makes one or possibly both of the catches on the long incompletions to Michael Floyd last night.

For better or worse, the Cardinals have roughly the 20th best NFL quarterback in Carson Palmer. And they don't have a legitimate #1 receiver ready to step in and fill Larry's shoes next season IMO . I have serious reservations about whether Floyd will ever be more than a solid #2 receiver.

 

[GuernseyCard]

If not for the late bump, Floyd would have been under that first TD pass, and even Fitz can't catch a ball yards out of bounds. Floyd has shown steady progression.

 

[Russ Smith]

Last night was exhibit A in why it is, at best, premature, or at worst, idiotic, to jump to the conclusion that Fitz should be cut next spring without making EVERY effort to restructure his contract.

He is far and away the Cardinals' best player on offense PERIOD. I'm convinced he makes one or possibly both of the catches on the long incompletions to Michael Floyd last night.

For better or worse, the Cardinals have roughly the 20th best NFL quarterback in Carson Palmer. And they don't have a legitimate #1 receiver ready to step in and fill Larry's shoes next season IMO . I have serious reservations about whether Floyd will ever be more than a solid #2 receiver.

I don't think Fitz gets that open though, Floyd got open seemed to lose his legs and the balls were not accurate.

What I love about John Brown is he gets open, has to catch the ball better but he's open often. Jaron Brown is explosive. We're pretty well set at WR just hope Floyd gets his legs and Palmer gets on the same page as all these guys so we don't see more of those pick six mistakes.

 

[kerouac9]

I don't think anyone is saying that Fitz should be cut in the same manner that we cut Jasper Brinkley. I'm not sure there's a single legit poster here who doesn't think we should "take every avenue" to ensure that Fitz remains on the roster.

But I think that Palmer is going to force balls to Fitzgerald as long as he's here, which is going to lead to INTs. Wrong route or not, last night Cardinals were outnumbered 3 to 1 on that pick six.

 

[Totally_Red]

I don't think anyone is saying that Fitz should be cut in the same manner that we cut Jasper Brinkley. I'm not sure there's a single legit poster here who doesn't think we should "take every avenue" to ensure that Fitz remains on the roster.

But I think that Palmer is going to force balls to Fitzgerald as long as he's here, which is going to lead to INTs. Wrong route or not, last night Cardinals were outnumbered 3 to 1 on that pick six.

Agreed!

Not sure how much MJ knows but he was claiming a fair compensation for Fitz was in the 6-8 million per year range. 10-12 million with part of that in incentives seems fairer to me.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

But I think that Palmer is going to force balls to Fitzgerald as long as he's here, which is going to lead to INTs. Wrong route or not, last night Cardinals were outnumbered 3 to 1 on that pick six.

This I agree with. Forcing the ball to Fitz when there are other options will lead to mistakes.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Fitz will never out run anybody after the catch but is still a valueable sure- handed receiver. Hopefully he wants to remain a Cardinal and redue his contract to help the team going forward.

 

[Shaggy]

Is Fitz in Palmer's head and wanting him to throw to him even when he is open? Just get the ball to an open receiver and not try to force it into anyone, even Fitz.

 

[kerouac9]

Agreed!

Not sure how much MJ knows but he was claiming a fair compensation for Fitz was in the 6-8 million per year range. 10-12 million with part of that in incentives seems fairer to me.

Fitz is no longer worth $10-12M in his contributions to a winning football team. That just is what it is. He shouldn't be making more than Palmer on a reduced salary.

Keep in mind that in 2015 he's going to carry and addition $7M salary cap charge in prorated bonus money. So with a $12M salary (and the incentives are nonsense), that's a $19M salary cap charge for a good possession receiver.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Fitz is no longer worth $10-12M in his contributions to a winning football team. That just is what it is. He shouldn't be making more than Palmer on a reduced salary.

Keep in mind that in 2015 he's going to carry and addition $7M salary cap charge in prorated bonus money. So with a $12M salary (and the incentives are nonsense), that's a $19M salary cap charge for a good possession receiver.

I agree with this... I want Fitz here for the duration of his career. I know he wants that to. But it's gonna take an acceptance of reality on his part, the likes of which we may not have seen from a pro football player - or any other pro athlete in recent memory.
There is no way Fitz is worth a $19M cap hit. He's barely worth a $10M cap hit... I just hope he feels the same AND is willing to do what 99.999999999% of all others wouldn't do... which is to put aside ego and the unrealistic quest for $$$, and sign a deal that doesn't hurt the club... We'll see...
One caveat that I have to add though - is the potential for Fitz to have a huge year this season. IMHO, I believe he stands a very good chance to surpass 1,000 yards and reach close to 100 catches - if he and others (Palmer, Floyd, Brown(s), Carlson, O-line) stay healthy. If he does, it will make the conversation over next season extremely difficult...

 

[kerouac9]

I agree with this... I want Fitz here for the duration of his career. I know he wants that to. But it's gonna take an acceptance of reality on his part, the likes of which we may not have seen from a pro football player - or any other pro athlete in recent memory.
There is no way Fitz is worth a $19M cap hit. He's barely worth a $10M cap hit... I just hope he feels the same AND is willing to do what 99.999999999% of all others wouldn't do... which is to put aside ego and the unrealistic quest for $$$, and sign a deal that doesn't hurt the club... We'll see...
One caveat that I have to add though - is the potential for Fitz to have a huge year this season. IMHO, I believe he stands a very good chance to surpass 1,000 yards and reach close to 100 catches - if he and others (Palmer, Floyd, Brown(s), Carlson, O-line) stay healthy. If he does, it will make the conversation over next season extremely difficult...

I don't believe that. If he still had that kind of production in him, why didn't we see it last season? This year, with more consistent weapons around him, he's going to be more productive on a volume basis? I just don't see it.

 

[gmabel830]

I don't believe that. If he still had that kind of production in him, why didn't we see it last season? This year, with more consistent weapons around him, he's going to be more productive on a volume basis? I just don't see it.

The theory is that with more weapons around him he'll see more single coverage than he has in several years - and thus get more opportunities. Whether or not that materializes remains to be seen.

 

[Shaggy]

I think his new role with him being in the slot more and doing more slants is that he isn't going to be the Fitz of yesteryear's. I hope with the new WR blood, it lessens his coverage, but only time will tell.

 

[GatorAZ]

Cutting Dockett, Powers and Stanton alone saves over 14m on the cap. Fitz even taking a 3-4m paycut would he a huge help. Get by with a cap hit in the high teens for two more years then he'll be cut IMO.

 

[CardLogic]

I don't believe that. If he still had that kind of production in him, why didn't we see it last season? This year, with more consistent weapons around him, he's going to be more productive on a volume basis? I just don't see it.

Fitzgerald played nearly the entire season last year with a nagging hamstring injury. The announcers, Michaels and Collinsworth, even discussed this, and remarked how Larry looked like his "old-self" last night. Three catches for 71 yards, in one half - take that type of production any day.

It, of course, remains to be seen what this year brings.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I don't believe that. If he still had that kind of production in him, why didn't we see it last season? This year, with more consistent weapons around him, he's going to be more productive on a volume basis? I just don't see it.

Last season was the first year of togetherness for BA, Palmer, Floyd, Ellington & Fitz and the offense as a whole. They are now another year into it. More comfortable. Better O-line. More weapons (John and Jaron Brown, Carlson)...
Again, as is always the case, it's all dependent upon health. But, if the Cards offense can remain healthy for much or all of the season, I like Fitz's chances of having a very big year...

 

[82CardsGrad]

I don't believe that. If he still had that kind of production in him, why didn't we see it last season? This year, with more consistent weapons around him, he's going to be more productive on a volume basis? I just don't see it.

This too...

Fitzgerald played nearly the entire season last year with a nagging hamstring injury. The announcers, Michaels and Collinsworth, even discussed this, and remarked how Larry looked like his "old-self" last night. Three catches for 71 yards, in one half - take that type of production any day.

It, of course, remains to be seen what this year brings.

 

[kerouac9]

Fitzgerald played nearly the entire season last year with a nagging hamstring injury. The announcers, Michaels and Collinsworth, even discussed this, and remarked how Larry looked like his "old-self" last night. Three catches for 71 yards, in one half - take that type of production any day.

It, of course, remains to be seen what this year brings.

Last season was the first year of togetherness for BA, Palmer, Floyd, Ellington & Fitz and the offense as a whole. They are now another year into it. More comfortable. Better O-line. More weapons (John and Jaron Brown, Carlson)...
Again, as is always the case, it's all dependent upon health. But, if the Cards offense can remain healthy for much or all of the season, I like Fitz's chances of having a very big year...

Trying to make the case that Larry Fitzgerald more compares to T.J. Houshmanzadeh than Calvin Johnson depresses me. I refuse to do it, and I hope you guys are right.

Even if Fitz catches 100 balls for 1100 yards and scores 10 TDs, he still shouldn't make more than $8M in 2015, because he was overpaid.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Trying to make the case that Larry Fitzgerald more compares to T.J. Houshmanzadeh than Calvin Johnson depresses me. I refuse to do it, and I hope you guys are right.



Even if Fitz catches 100 balls for 1100 yards and scores 10 TDs, he still shouldn't make more than $8M in 2015, because he was overpaid.

I agree with your last statement regarding what he should make in 2015... However, plain and simple, Fitz is the face of this team. He might not be "the" leader, in a way that Warner was, or Manning is... But he is clearly the public face and he does a fantastic job in that role. He is a model NFL player and if he does put up the type of season I think he's about to put up, it's gonna be hard to keep him at anything less than $10M per....


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[82CardsGrad]

I agree with your last statement regarding what he should make in 2015... However, plain and simple, Fitz is the face of this team. He might not be "the" leader, in a way that Warner was, or Manning is... But he is clearly the public face and he does a fantastic job in that role. He is a model NFL player and if he does put up the type of season I think he's about to put up, it's gonna be hard to keep him at anything less than $10M per....

And what's with the TJ Housh reference?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kerouac9]

I agree with your last statement regarding what he should make in 2015... However, plain and simple, Fitz is the face of this team. He might not be "the" leader, in a way that Warner was, or Manning is... But he is clearly the public face and he does a fantastic job in that role. He is a model NFL player and if he does put up the type of season I think he's about to put up, it's gonna be hard to keep him at anything less than $10M per....


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Patrick Peterson is now the face of the Arizona Cardinals. Take a look at the Cards' home page: Michael Floyd on the left, Patrick Peterson on the right. The Cards are making a conscious effort to move away from Larry Fitzgerald for this very reason.

Notice that NBC didn't talk to Fitzgerald during the game Sunday night. They talked to Palmer and then Peterson. That's not an accident.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Patrick Peterson is now the face of the Arizona Cardinals. Take a look at the Cards' home page: Michael Floyd on the left, Patrick Peterson on the right. The Cards are making a conscious effort to move away from Larry Fitzgerald for this very reason.

Notice that NBC didn't talk to Fitzgerald during the game Sunday night. They talked to Palmer and then Peterson. That's not an accident.

True... but I see that as a prolonged process and PP is gonna have to produce in order to truly attain the position as "the face" of the team.
Across the country, whenever people think of the Cards, the first player that comes to mind for them is Fitz. PP has some work to do before he takes that position away from Larry...

 

[kerouac9]

True... but I see that as a prolonged process and PP is gonna have to produce in order to truly attain the position as "the face" of the team.
Across the country, whenever people think of the Cards, the first player that comes to mind for them is Fitz. PP has some work to do before he takes that position away from Larry...

I honestly don't think that people across the country think of the Cards at all. Fitz hasn't had to produce much the last three seasons to remain the face of the franchise.

I don't think it's going to be a "prolonged process." I think it's been ongoing since Peterson's rookie year, and now it's nearly complete. I wouldn't be surprised to see Fitzgerald disappearing from the Cards' intro and outro bumpers on the broadcasts. They hardly ever talk about Fitz on the Big Red Rage anymore.

 

[desertdawg]

Fitz will get 1000 this year.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I honestly don't think that people across the country think of the Cards at all. Fitz hasn't had to produce much the last three seasons to remain the face of the franchise.

I don't think it's going to be a "prolonged process." I think it's been ongoing since Peterson's rookie year, and now it's nearly complete. I wouldn't be surprised to see Fitzgerald disappearing from the Cards' intro and outro bumpers on the broadcasts. They hardly ever talk about Fitz on the Big Red Rage anymore.

Do the Cards get the national attention of Seattle? Pitt? Pats? Cowgirls? Of course not... However, the NFL is BY FAR the most popular pro sport in this country. And the Cards get their share of attention, if only because of the fantasy football craze....
My entire family (which is huge - I'm Italian) still lives back east. Believe me, when (not if) the Cards surface in a conversation, the vision/face that pops into their heads is Fitz. For many, they can still recall his post season run in 2008/2009.
And, if Peterson is able to produce at the level his talent seems to suggest he should, then yes, his ascension to the face of the team would be quickened and comprehensive. But, if he struggles and/or, if the separation between him and Sherman, or others, becomes crystal clear, while Fitz puts up a huge season, I would expect the brakes to be put on the PP face of the team express....