Cards getting us ready for life without Larry?

[slanidrac16]

I got to thinking about Fitz and his huge cap situation for next year. Suddenly yet quietly we are seeing less and less focus on Fitz in this offense.

Don't bet me wrong . I love Fitz. I want to see him retire as a Cardinal. That being said 18m + goes a long way to shore up other parts of the team. I just don't see Fitz taking an 8 million dollar per year pay cut. When you consider recent contracts for PP21 , Campbell , and the likes I wonder just how much the Cards are willing to spend to keep Fitz here.

It could appear to some the Cards are getting ready to life without Larry in 2015.

 

[GoldGloveschmidt]

He has a sprained MCL.

 

[slanidrac16]

He has a sprained MCL.

I am aware of that, but I'm looking at the big and long range picture that seemed to have started sometime last year with the emergence of Floyd.

 

[unseenaz]

you think Bruce Arians would agree to keeping fitz out for that reason? BA wants to win, he'll do whatever and use whoever to get the job done

 

[Shane]

He has a sprained MCL.

Just an excuse

 

[bg7brd]

So what you're saying is...We're not going to use our best receiver this year because we're going to lose him next year. Hmmmm

 

[MrYeahBut]

Just an excuse

Just curious, what were you driving at? Didn't get the drift.


.

 

[slanidrac16]

So what you're saying is...We're not going to use our best receiver this year because we're going to lose him next year. Hmmmm

No. What I'm saying is do the Cards brass consider Fitz "The Man" with the emergence of Floyd and will the Cards be willing to pay the impending cap hit in 2015.

Fitz has held all the "cards" over the last 3 years thanks to the cap hell Graves and company put this team in. Does his cost justify the production?

If the Cards go 12-4 this year and deep into the playoffs with Fitz basically becoming the WR2 ( 60 catches ,600 yds and 5 tds) would he be worth an 18m cap hit especially with the way Arians seems to be able to develop WR's?

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Every draft is about preparing your team to bring in the talent to eventually replace your star. It's kind of the same thing when the Whiners passed the torch from Rice to Owens.

The is not a unique situation... Both the Franchise and Larry have treated each other very well and both knew the day to pay the piper was coming with all of the restructured contracts Larry received. Larry helped the team every year be more flexible in return for more upfront Cash. This is especially true in football and the truth is--at the end of day-- neither party ever expected Fitz to see that final year.

 

[thephoenixson28]

I don't agree with this. The Cardinals ain't going to risk wins for a players production. Regardless of what happens Fitz and the Cardinals know they have to restructure.

 

[Finito]

It's life you really forget how long Fitz had been around. There not doing it in purpose cardinals fans really have to understand and come to terms with the fact that at this point in there careers Floyd is just better.Floyd is younger, bigger, faster more explosive

Add John Brown who brings something different to the table that Floyd and Fitz don't have so I could see you looking towards him in a lot of areas.

 

[GatorAZ]

I love Fitz but I don't think we need him at 12m let alone 24m.

 

[devilalum]

If the rest of the Cards receivers produce Fitz's production will go up due to the fact that teams won't be able to double him as much.

 

[thephoenixson28]

Fitz will still be Fitz quote me on that.

 

[Shane]

Just curious, what were you driving at? Didn't get the drift.


.

Saying his lack of production may be due to an "mcl sprain" is an excuse...

People saying Larry will be Larry aren't seeing the forest through the trees. The guy is clearly not the player he used to be and doesn't warrant his contract. Sure he will have a good game here and there but he's not the Larry we came to love ON the field for his first 7-8 years....

 

[ajcardfan]

I don't think the Cards are setting up game plans based on player's contracts. That would be really stupid, and I don't think we are stupid anymore. Like when we benched Esiason in his last game here to not get a contract bonus.


I think it will all even out eventually. Most of the SD game, Fitz had a safety over the top of him in addition to the CB. Once that starts to change, as Floyd hurts teams, Fitz will start to have big games too.

 

[Garthshort]

It's silly to talk about Fitz' CAP hit, next year. BOTH the team and player know that it has to be restructured. And if Fitz wants to stay it will, and if he doesn't it won't. I think he wants to stay, but what do I know.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Let's revisit this after Fitz has about 9 catches for 145 yards and 2 TD's this Sunday.

 

[Chaz]

I got to thinking about Fitz and his huge cap situation for next year. Suddenly yet quietly we are seeing less and less focus on Fitz in this offense.

Don't bet me wrong . I love Fitz. I want to see him retire as a Cardinal. That being said 18m + goes a long way to shore up other parts of the team. I just don't see Fitz taking an 8 million dollar per year pay cut. When you consider recent contracts for PP21 , Campbell , and the likes I wonder just how much the Cards are willing to spend to keep Fitz here.

It could appear to some the Cards are getting ready to life without Larry in 2015.

The only counter point I have is he never was the focus of this offense.

Previous teams may have featured him and Palmer may have given him some extra attention last season but it doesn't seem like BA or his offense operates that way.

I don't believe they are purposely using him less because of the contract situation.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

So what you're saying is...We're not going to use our best receiver this year because we're going to lose him next year. Hmmmm

+1

Not buying it.

You wanna phase Fitzgerald out, then trade him for a proven pass rusher and some draft picks.

Besides that, we are winning and that is all that matters.

Personally, I think all the stones in the garden have been turned over regarding this situation (1 game in a 17 week season), and unfortunately, there is nothing to be found.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Yeah it's a ridiculous notion that this current staff would play Fitz less because of his contract. He gives us the best chance to win. He is our second (!!!) best pass catcher on the team.

During training camp Fitz sat out practices. This is a continuation of his injuries woes which have kind of persisted over the past few years. I do think the writing is on the wall: Fitz needs to take a massive paycut to stay on the team, and talent wise, we will probably be ok without him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Yeah it's a ridiculous notion that this current staff would play Fitz less because of his contract. He gives us the best chance to win. He is our second (!!!) best pass catcher on the team.

During training camp Fitz sat out practices. This is a continuation of his injuries woes which have kind of persisted over the past few years. I do think the writing is on the wall: Fitz needs to take a massive paycut to stay on the team, and talent wise, we will probably be ok without him.

i agree. it'll be weird to not have Fitz on the team, but reality is that the Super Bowl and the basis for that team was another era and we're clearly at the beginning of a new one with BASK.

Floyd is a beast and Brown looks like he could have the goods as well. that'll be our double threat of the future, with Ellington in the backfield. now just have to find the QBOF while Carson warms his seat on the field.

 

[kerouac9]

Yeah it's a ridiculous notion that this current staff would play Fitz less because of his contract. He gives us the best chance to win. He is our second (!!!) best pass catcher on the team.

During training camp Fitz sat out practices. This is a continuation of his injuries woes which have kind of persisted over the past few years. I do think the writing is on the wall: Fitz needs to take a massive paycut to stay on the team, and talent wise, we will probably be ok without him.

Erm... huh? Never heard this during training camp. I think you're confused: Fitz missed some practice time last week, and according to Arians he didn't play on a couple of playcalls that he didn't practice.

I've been tryying to tell you guys for three months that the Cards have been preparing to move on from Larry Fitzgerald. Fitz's skills are in decline, and he'll likely be released. He's not even a talking point on things like The Big Red Rage.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Next season is next season and Fitz seems happy because he wants the Cardinals to win NOW. If opposing defenses start treating Larry like a regular WR because of Floyd, then Palmer will find him and torch them. It is about winning right now. Larry wants to win as a Cardinal and not a statement maker for his wacked father. The Cardinals want to win. Larry is a Cardinal and sees himself as a Cardinal. I could care less for those buying into his dad causing drama and those wanting to pull cheap punches at Larry after all he has done and can still do. It was rampant last year when the whole thing was Palmer is FORCING the ball to Larry, now he is not and everyone wants to have self appreciation statements for their own benefit and not realize... you're a Cardinal fan, zip it because we have started out with a win

 

[Shane]

Fitz isn't even the best WR on the team anymore