Fitz Deal: 4 years, $40 million (Done!!!)

[football karma]

It's not true though. We re-signed Simeon Rice.

maybe it should say "willingly"

Rice was franchised

 

[mjb21aztd]

Alright glad we got Fitz signed, now hopefully we can make the playoff's a few years while hes here

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I am just glad its done and we have more cap space to operate.

 

[joeshmo]

Sommers numbers are correct.

To clear up a few things. He is not going to get 33 Mill in gauranteed money. He will be making 33 Mill the first 3 years of the deal. He will be getting 20 Mill gauranteed, of which the option 5 Mill bonus is not gauranteed until next year.

Under 10 Mill this year cap hit and without knowing the base salaries it would seem that his cap hit will go up percentage wise very close to the percent that the overall cap goes up each year at least for next year that is until the new CBA gets ratified after the 2009 season or a lock-out which ever happens first. This is a very decent deal and one I said would get done fast if we conceeded to the 4 year idea, I stated that Parker would conceed to something if he got that part of the deal and Parker did conceed to gauranteed amounts since he was asking for over 27 Mill on a 5+ year deal. 27/6 = 4.5 per year Minimum since all we know is he was asking for over 27 Mill, 20/4 = 4 per year.

This is a good deal for both sides.

 

[football karma]

When you consider that:

Doing nothing -- Larry would have received:

1. $31 mm for two years (assuming the Cards honored the 2009 portion of the deal); or
2. $14 mm, then been an unrestricted free agent next year, where we all know somebody would have given him $25 mm guaranteed (and probably more)


Taking $40 mm over 4 years is a accomodation to the Cardinals.

Make no mistake -- life if good when you get $40 mm over 4 as an accomodation -- but if money were Fitz's sole motivator -- he could have played this situation to have gotten more from somebody.

 

[ajcardfan]

When you consider that:

Doing nothing -- Larry would have received:

1. $31 mm for two years (assuming the Cards honored the 2009 portion of the deal); or
2. $14 mm, then been an unrestricted free agent next year, where we all know somebody would have given him $25 mm guaranteed (and probably more)


Taking $40 mm over 4 years is a accomodation to the Cardinals.

Make no mistake -- life if good when you get $40 mm over 4 as an accomodation -- but if money were Fitz's sole motivator -- he could have played this situation to have gotten more from somebody.

This would mean about 100 people on this board were all wrong about Fitz and his character. People said a lot of things about both Fitz and Graves that look real stupid now. That's why it's best to take Aeneas' advice and not take the business side of football personally.

 

[Savage58]

We dont have enough guys on our roster at the current time.

There are plenty of FA's still out and some decent ones. Quite a few good depth guys as well.

Exactly what I was thinking, what do we have like 33 guys under contract atm? I'm glad this Fitz deal is over with, it gives us room which we "NEEDED". Quoted for those who thought we didn't need room, what were we going to do, trade down 4 times and draft 12 players who count 350 vs the cap each to fill out a roster.

Good move getting it done finally, but it could've been better, now we can move on and fill out the roster w/ quality depth.

Now Graves needs to move quickly and sign Chillar at LB, a CB, DE and a Speedy WR pre draft, so when we do draft and Jeff Otah is on the board =) we pounce on him! Ya if he's not there we can go Mendenhall or Corner but if we can get a bookend Tackle in this draft, you get him imo, no brainer.

 

[Totally_Red]

This would mean about 100 people on this board were all wrong about Fitz and his character. People said a lot of things about both Fitz and Graves that look real stupid now. That's why it's best to take Aeneas' advice and not take the business side of football personally.

Riddle me this Batman? How often has an Arizona Cardinal requested and gotten a NO-TRADE without permission clause in their contract? If that doesn't say he wants to be in Arizona I don't know what does?

 

[az1965]

Awesome!!!

Looks like Cards gave in to 4 year deal that Parker was seeking...

 

[Jim O]

Official Release

CARDINALS REACH AGREEMENT
WITH WR LARRY FITZGERALD

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Tempe, AZ – The Arizona Cardinals Football Club today announced that the team has agreed to terms on a four-year contract with wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD. The new deal will keep him under contract with Arizona through the 2011 season. In accordance with club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Fitzgerald was selected to his second Pro Bowl last season after recording an NFC leading 100 receptions for 1,409 yards and a team leading 10 touchdowns. The 100 receptions gave him his second 100-catch season of his career, joining teammate Anquan Boldin as the only players in franchise history to record two 100-catch seasons.

The 24-year old Minneapolis native was first selected to the Pro Bowl following the 2005 season after he set a franchise record with 103 receptions for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns, also becoming the youngest receiver in NFL history to record a 100-catch campaign that season when he was 22 years old.

Originally the third overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh, Fitzgerald has started in all 60 games in which he has appeared with the Cardinals collecting 330 receptions for 4,544 yards (13.8 yard avg.) and 34 touchdowns.

- www.azcardinals.com -

 

[az1965]

Can someone post the official release on the Eagles forums...

 

[Jim O]

Fitz Gets a New Four-Year Deal
Cardinals, Pro Bowl receiver finally agree on contract
By DARREN URBAN

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The contract saga of the Cardinals and Larry Fitzgerald ended Tuesday when the Pro Bowl wide receiver agreed to a new four-year contract worth a reported $40 million.

Not only do the Cards have Fitzgerald in place through the 2011 season, but now Arizona -- which reportedly only had a little more than $300,000 remaining in salary cap room – will gain almost $9 million in cap space.

The deal came at a good time, with Fitzgerald leaving on a vacation to Argentina and Brazil Tuesday afternoon. Fitzgerald actually signed the contract while at the airport.

Continue Story

 

[az1965]

This would mean about 100 people on this board were all wrong about Fitz and his character. People said a lot of things about both Fitz and Graves that look real stupid now. That's why it's best to take Aeneas' advice and not take the business side of football personally.

Its a huge favor by Fitz... That shows his committment to this organization. Let's start winning now!

 

[CardLogic]

That picture of Fitz goes perfectly with the article! Well done.

 

[cardsfanmd]

But would you would have no problem spending that kind of money on Boldin, who doesn't fit that mold of receiver either?

First, no I wouldn't spend that money on Q either. I would justify it though because Q is that type of reciever. He is the most physical WR in the history of the game, how is he not suited for a power running scheme. What reciever do you know of who is a more powerfull blocker??? Does Fitz get LBs out of the way???

 

[BullheadCardFan]

The deal came at a good time, with Fitzgerald leaving on a vacation to Argentina and Brazil Tuesday afternoon. Fitzgerald actually signed the contract while at the airport.

Talk about closing the deal at the last minute.

 

[az jam]

Great news. Now we can get back to draft talk.

 

[cardsfanmd]

I'll give you the stretch the field part, but Fitz is a pretty good blocker. Not as good as Q but pretty good none less. Plus Q is a beast of a blocker.




I am with you 100%. It is a lot of money for a WR but as we stand as a team we are not suited to be a power running team. Maybe in four years that will be the case, but it is not the case now.

How will we be any more suited then if we are resigning guys from the old system.

If you want to lose weight, you keep buying fat people clothes just because you fit into them now. You buy smaller clothes that fit the size you are aiming to become.

I was perplexed at why Graves wanted Fitzgerald for 6 or 7 years. Boldin is the captain, and the face of the team. He is going to get signed again and again because not only is he a great WR, but he can do so much more, and he is an excellent blocker. So, if and when push comes to shove I think Boldin will stay here over Fitzgerald (hopefully that decision will never have to be made)

In four years a lot can change, and I hope for our team to be able to run the ball effectively by then.

As for now. You have to be a little excited to see this Fitzgerald debacle go away, and to enjoy that he will be on the field for us for the next 4 years.

Now we get to go debate about Dansby!

Make no mistake, Boldin will be gone in the next few years, unless we trade Fitz. If Boldin leaves, we still may resign Fitz when this contract is up. I would say I doubt it, but after this move by Graves we will likely hurt the team and bend over for whatever he wants again.

Again, there is nothing I can do but root for us to win and bitch about Graves is when we lose. Uh oh, I just talked bad about RG and used a naughty word in the same post. That will be a ban. See ya in a few days bud.

 

[CardShark]

It also keeps my McFarlane Fitz relevant.

 

[Buckybird]

Thanks, Michael, Mr B and Rod!!!thud:

I will drive to Flagstaff this summer from Dallas and personally thanks those guys.


Go 's

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Someone please please tell me why everyone is so happy about this?? Basically, Graves bent entirely over and gave Fitz exactly what he wanted. If that was the gameplan this could have been done weeks ago.

For the life of me I just dont get this. There goes the power-run theme.

I hope all of you are this happy in a year or two when Q is gone.

I agree with you for the most part... Should've been 5yr. deal IMO...

I honestly think Q wil out perform Fitz over the next couple of seasons and I don't think the Cards will pony up this kind of contract again. We'll see, but I will really be sad if the team loses Q...

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

So when is his contract up? 2013?

No, for all intensive purposes this will end in 2011 when Parker and Fitz try to renegotiate again...

 

[Linderbee]

Riddle me this Batman? How often has an Arizona Cardinal requested and gotten a NO-TRADE without permission clause in their contract? If that doesn't say he wants to be in Arizona I don't know what does?

I think that was his point. A lot of people on here were saying Fitz was all about the money & looking to hurt the Cards, etc. aj is saying that those people were all wrong.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

No, for all intensive purposes this will end in 2011 when Parker and Fitz try to renegotiate again...

for all intent and purpose

 

[Zeno]

Thank God he is signed, this place was becoming unreadable with all the anti-Fitz, anti-Graves BS...it grew tiresome.