Can we really not franchise Fitz in 2011?

[Arizona's Finest]

I just read this in Sando's blog. WTF?

I know its a long way away but now we will have to renegotiate sooner then we wanted and there is NO WAY we can let the franchise get away.

Unbelievable. The lack of foresight by Rod Graves sometimes just kills me.

Isn't he supposed to be lauded for his negotation skills and getting contracts done? How come I don't hear this happening as much and as often with other teams?

Pretty frustrating.

 

[Dback Jon]

Maybe you could post a link?

Talking about an article/blog without a link is pointless.

 

[AntSports Steve]

From Santo's Blog : Fitzgerald becomes a free agent after the 2011 season and the Cardinals agreed not to name him their franchise player at that time. Those would be a couple reasons for not trading Boldin.

Fitz just signed a 4 year $40M contract, so he is under contract for 2008, 9, 10, and 2011. So he's a Cardinal for a long time still. Agreeing to not franchise him has been done on other teams players, usually after they have been FTagged once or twice. It's not big deal.

If he is still playing at a high level after 2010 and the salary cap keeps going up (no reason it won't as TV money is set), the Cards will have to offer him another huge contract. I'm sure now that the Cards are a Superbowl contender, the likely hood of him leaving to go to a winner is small. If he keeps playing good, the Cards will keep showing him the money. I see no problem.

 

[Carddan]

That's my understanding, Fitz can not be franchised. The contract signed last season had the Cardinal's over a barrel because of Fitz's production. They could not afford to pay his salary in 2008 without extending it. My memory is that the Cards wanted more years and Fitz fewer. Fitz had the leverage and got what he wanted. There wasn't much we could do and I am happy we have him now, keeping him will be the challenge.

 

[Goldfield]

I thought it was a 4 year extension. Meaning it added 4 years to his current deal at the time. Wouldnt that make him under contract until 2013?

 

[1DS]

Can we use the Transition tag on him? I think that gives us a right to match any offer and a 1st and 3rd rounder as compensation if he is traded.

 

[Skkorpion]

You want us to worry about 2011? I'm worried one brother and one sister may lose their homes in foreclosure this year or next.

 

[Carddan]

I thought it was a 4 year extension. Meaning it added 4 years to his current deal at the time. Wouldnt that make him under contract until 2013?

No. I believe it is a four year contract (just a two year extension) but it cut his "cap" number by about 50%. He is under contract through the 2011 season which means I have two years before this issue is on my radar. We might as well worry about a lock-out after 2011 when the players' contact expires.

Actually Skkorp is right as usual, better worry about paying the mortgage.

 

[Shogun]

How is it frustrating when it's three years from now and something that had to be done?

 

[Assface]

So, if a player wants to renegotiate a contract and he has more than 1 year left then he's a bad guy and should play out his contract but if Graves lets a guy play out his contract and doesn't start negotiations with several years remaining then he's an idiot?

 

[Dback Jon]

So, if a player wants to renegotiate a contract and he has more than 1 year left then he's a bad guy and should play out his contract but if Graves lets a guy play out his contract and doesn't start negotiations with several years remaining then he's an idiot?

that's right.

 

[DoTheDew]

So, if a player wants to renegotiate a contract and he has more than 1 year left then he's a bad guy and should play out his contract but if Graves lets a guy play out his contract and doesn't start negotiations with several years remaining then he's an idiot?

Cardinal fans have the grass is always greener on the other side syndrome. Maybe making it to the SB will slowly make that fade away.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

You want us to worry about 2011?

Seriously.

I am with you.

The probably, maybe, could happen that three years from now, Fitzgerald could maybe, probably, have to sign a new contract.

Seriously. There is plenty to complain about in the year 2009 about the Cardinals. This is ridiculous.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

So, if a player wants to renegotiate a contract and he has more than 1 year left then he's a bad guy and should play out his contract but if Graves lets a guy play out his contract and doesn't start negotiations with several years remaining then he's an idiot?

No, no, no.

It is more like this.

A pessimist says the glass is half empty, a optomist says the glass is half full, and a Cardinals fan says the milk is spoiled regardless of the situation and it is all Graves' fault.

 

[Perfectionist]

How about just getting some guys signed for next season. This waiting is driving me nuts, let alone 2011.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

i've never heard anywhere that Rod Graves's skill, in any capacity as a GM, being described as strong.

 

[Spielman]

Can we use the Transition tag on him? I think that gives us a right to match any offer and a 1st and 3rd rounder as compensation if he is traded.

Transition tag gives the right to match, but does not provide any compensation if the team declines to match an offer.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I think many are you of missing the point here. And its not like I am having trouble sleeping because of 2011.

My point is why in the hell would we ever sign off on something like not being able to give the best player in the NFL the franchise tag when he will be something like 27 and in the prime of his career? Did Larry have us by the balls that bad that we had to just cow tow to anything he wanted.

This just goes to show how stupid that initial contract was. I get that thats what many teams do with top level picks but the degree in which Larry is calling the shots is in this situation is crazy. Tom Brady doesn't get this type of autonomy.

We might not be worried about it now but what exactly have you seen in this teams slowness to redo contracts that makes you think this won't be an issue starting next year?

I just think the clause is dumb and might end up costing us the best thing we having going for us.

 

[red desert]

I think many are you of missing the point here. And its not like I am having trouble sleeping because of 2011.

My point is why in the hell would we ever sign off on something like not being able to give the best player in the NFL the franchise tag when he will be something like 27 and in the prime of his career? Did Larry have us by the balls that bad that we had to just cow tow to anything he wanted.

This just goes to show how stupid that initial contract was. I get that thats what many teams do with top level picks but the degree in which Larry is calling the shots is in this situation is crazy. Tom Brady doesn't get this type of autonomy.

We might not be worried about it now but what exactly have you seen in this teams slowness to redo contracts that makes you think this won't be an issue starting next year?

I just think the clause is dumb and might end up costing us the best thing we having going for us.

Your point is spot on, and well taken. But trust me, you're wasting your breath (or fingers?) on those Graves supporters. To them, Graves walks on water.

 

[Shogun]

I think many are you of missing the point here. And its not like I am having trouble sleeping because of 2011.

My point is why in the hell would we ever sign off on something like not being able to give the best player in the NFL the franchise tag when he will be something like 27 and in the prime of his career? Did Larry have us by the balls that bad that we had to just cow tow to anything he wanted.

In a sense yes because he would have counted a HUGE amount against the cap for the next two years if they kept his deal the same. He didn't HAVE to re-do his deal. That's the key. Without the new contract, the Cards would've been handicapped to get any FAs, let alone give Boldin his extension.

This just goes to show how stupid that initial contract was. I get that thats what many teams do with top level picks but the degree in which Larry is calling the shots is in this situation is crazy. Tom Brady doesn't get this type of autonomy.

Well, Tom Brady didn't get drafted Top 3 nor did he hit 99.9% of his incentives and have a whole bunch of money coming his way. If I was the Cards FO, I probably would have set up the rookie contract the same way because you had Q come out of nowhere and you invested in Bryant Johnson (a promising receiver at this point in time), few would have guessed he'd be this good.

We might not be worried about it now but what exactly have you seen in this teams slowness to redo contracts that makes you think this won't be an issue starting next year?

I just think the clause is dumb and might end up costing us the best thing we having going for us.

I too think that the clause is stupid and risky and I agree with your overall point, but to get a lot you have to give a lot.

 

[Skkorpion]

Red desert, Rod Graves does not walk on water. He's too fat and sinks into it. However, fat floats.

 

[Duckjake]

Seriously. There is plenty to complain about in the year 2009 about the Cardinals. This is ridiculous.

WHAT?!??! COMPLAIN?!?!?!?

The off-season is historically a Cards fans favorite time of year and on top of that the Cardinals are THE DEFENDING NFC CHAMPIONS. What could there possibly be to complain about?