Can we just admit that Fitz is done?

[StreetTruckinTitan]

He cant catch what isnt thrown to him. Im more worried about Kylers inability to find open recievers past his first read at this point.

 

[Buckybird]

Shane is still pissed & holding a grudge because Quan was let go

once again Shane I couldn’t resist lol

LOL... Bottom line, the guy can still add meaningful value to an offense. He is far from being "done." I'll always be amazed by your consistent, multi-year anti-Fitz stance. Of all the players to crown, he would be that guy... and somehow, you routinely attempt to diminish his value year after year.

 

[ReasonableMan]

Several times he was wide open in a position to move the chains but Kyler threw somewhere else.

Is he a 12mil receiver? No. But he’s a competent slot receiver/psuedo TE. This isn’t the time to shed talent

 

[Russ Smith]

I actually won't be surprised if he gets better as the season goes on. This was the first year of his career he wasn't in OTA's. He has said for years he doesn't like OTA's but goes there because it's a team thing and everyone should be there. I think it's just possible he's a few weeks behind on his normal schedule.

That and he's 37

 

[Shane]

I actually won't be surprised if he gets better as the season goes on. This was the first year of his career he wasn't in OTA's. He has said for years he doesn't like OTA's but goes there because it's a team thing and everyone should be there. I think it's just possible he's a few weeks behind on his normal schedule.

That and he's 37

improving on garbage at this point shouldn’t be very hard... We better hope it gets better.

 

[Shane]

LOL... Bottom line, the guy can still add meaningful value to an offense. He is far from being "done." I'll always be amazed by your consistent, multi-year anti-Fitz stance. Of all the players to crown, he would be that guy... and somehow, you routinely attempt to diminish his value year after year.

I love Fitz... But I’m not much for sentiment. All to often over the years teams hold on too long to star players and fan bases make excuses to keep them. Fitz is in that part of his career now. He’s a great person and a team captain... Would love to see him stay on in some capacity. But as a player and at 12 million per which has been to much for at least 2 years. Not so much. Sentiment isn’t helping the win column. And as K9 has pointed out Many times his “mentoring” abilities are far overrated.

 

[Russ Smith]

improving on garbage at this point shouldn’t be very hard... We better hope it gets better.

I think he should be playing less snaps because I think we need more speed on the field and when he's out there, Andy usually isn't. I'm not saying bench him he can still do things we need. I think one of the concerns is we won't run as well from the 3WR set because Fitz isn't in there and he's a much better blocker than Andy is. But if you look at stats the 3 WR set is our least effective for RB's. Drake is about 3.6 and Edmonds is under 2 in that situation.

I don't know what the right ratio is I just don't think he should be playing 80% of the snaps and Andy about 25%, get more speed on the field.

 

[jmt]

I agree Better than nothing isn’t saying much.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I love Fitz... But I’m not much for sentiment. All to often over the years teams hold on too long to star players and fan bases make excuses to keep them. Fitz is in that part of his career now. He’s a great person and a team captain... Would love to see him stay on in some capacity. But as a player and at 12 million per which has been to much for at least 2 years. Not so much. Sentiment isn’t helping the win column. And as K9 has pointed out Many times his “mentoring” abilities are far overrated.

I'm sure you and K9 would agree that, particularly in the NFL, one player is rarely "THE" reason why a team wins and looses. Ownership... Front Office... Coaching...and the collective talent and culture all play significant roles.
There isn't a player or coach, on the Cards or elsewhere, that would ever question the leadership/mentorship role Fitz has provided over the years. Of course, in terms of W's, that specific aspect of his value can't be connected to wins on the field. But again, it would be totally misleading to say that because this team continues to lose, Fitz isn't providing value as a mentor/leader...

And though you continue to harp on his salary, I would again challenge you to make a credible/viable argument that the money going to Fitz has somehow harmed the team and prevented them from being a winner...
That said, after this season, IF he decides to play again, the team would be nuts to pay him $11mm... I would even be shocked if Larry would expect that type of money. And, if this season goes the way I think it's gonna go - which is 6 wins if we're lucky - I'd be surprised if he chooses to return.

 

[Finito]

We need that money

 

[BurqueCardFan]

Fitz is getting open. Quite often actually. But Kyler either can't see him or can't make the throws over the middle where Fitz normally is. Likely both.

This. I'm not sure how many targets he gets but I have keyed on him several times and he is open quite often. They just never look his way. I also remember one play early in the game where Kyler sailed it over his head when Fitz was wide open pretty far down field. It may have been a 3rd down play. It really stalled the momentum.
I'm not saying Fitz is anywhere close to his prime but to say he is done is drastically overreacting.

 

[AZCB34]

It is not the Cardinals responsibility to escort on Fitz on some quest to catch Jerry. He is a shell of the player he was and now is becoming a distraction as players and coaches are now having to answer Fitz/targets questions.

You want a leader and mentor? Hire Fitz as a coach and give his reps to a young player. Everything comes to an end and Fitz time has come.

 

[HeavyB3]

I totally agree Shane. I haven't posted in like a million years but yeah. Imagine if we had a legit second option out there past Hopkins at WR? I don't think Kirk is it, and as much as everyone loves Larry but we would benefit from a set of younger legs and hands out there. I almost think we should have signed Hopkins and still drafted a WR over Simmons

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

If Fitz played for the Pats, he’d have been gone 3-4 years ago. Not 40 million richer.

 

[Shane]

If Fitz played for the Pats, he’d have been gone 3-4 years ago. Not 40 million richer.

1000%

 

[Harry]

Sorry I completely disagree that Fitz is done but I do think this will be his last season. I’ll post something tomorrow which will clarify more but with an underperforming QB, poor play design and worse play calling it’s hard to evaluate any offensive skill player. How different might that game have gone if KM had hit Fitz with that early pass.

 

[Shaggy]

Have any of you gone back and watch the game? I'm going to sometime tonight. I want to see if Fitz has been getting open but KM isn't seeing him, or throwing to him. Like some have said, is KM just not going through his reads and just locks on the first, maybe second read and that's all the time he thinks he has to get rid of the ball?

I don't think Fitz is done. I just think Murray need to stop being on pins and needles back there and go through his WR progressions.

 

[conraddobler]

Fitz is not done but he should have been traded to a team that was a contender years ago so he could try and win a SB.

This sentimental attachment to one player isn't good business either for the team or the player, we could of used that money filling a lot of more pressing holes we haven't been a team that was going to win it all for a long time and Fitz himself should of wanted to go to a team where he could put them over the top.

The 49ers traded Joe Montana, he was still the best QB in the game at the time they traded him, he almost got the Chiefs to a Super Bowl and would have if he didn't have to go through Buffalo in winter, only thing that slowed him down was bitter cold, not just cold, bitter cold.

The point is it's very rare for the interests of the team and a superstar like Larry to line up for an entire career, it's just not good business to think of it that way. If the NFL wants to be much less of a business that would be another thing but this isn't 1950's baseball where legends stayed with the same team their whole lives.

 

[Cheesebeef]

We need that money

this is the main point. Not that we don’t want Fitz on the team anymore. But there are problems all over the place that 11 million could go to. Or even 6 million if Fitz plays for half of that.

 

[Finito]

this is the main point. Not that we don’t want Fitz on the team anymore. But there are problems all over the place that 11 million could go to. Or even 6 million if Fitz plays for half of that.

Fitz and Peterson frees up 20+ million a year we could really use.

 

[GatorAZ]

Rice caught 92 balls for 1200 yards at 40 years old. Fitz isn’t catching him in any stat the way things look which is why a lot of folks thinks he keeps playing...

 

[HairZach]

If Fitz is willing to take a massive pay cut we should keep him.

 

[Cards4thebowl]

He is by far the most fake player in the league.

A "team player" like him should have been playing on a minimum salary the past 5 years.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Done? Not sure how you define "done," but I definitely wouldn't characterize Larry as "done!"
Is he worth $11mm per? Now that can be debated... But, if Kyler were actually a legit NFL - which he is not at the moment, I have no doubt Larry would be averaging 5 catches and 70 yards or so a game.

Don't you post this sort of thread every year?

Lol in Larry’s 17 year career he has only reached 14 yards per catch in 3 seasons and his last was NINE years ago. His last season even reaching 12 yards per catch was SEVEN seasons ago. Some of you just don’t want to face reality.

 

[az jam]

I think this will be Fitz's last year. He should have some better games than he has so far but IMO age has caught up with him.