Fitz extension to 2018

[Cards_Campos]

Fitz has earned if he wants to play. The funny thing is you guys are comparing him to players like Woods? If we threw the ball to Larry 12 Times a game his stats would be crazy. He still has great hands. Wrs today are no way near automatic. There were Wrs who go from 1 team and play well and then stink or be avg for another. Desean Jackson. Sammy Watkins ...terrel Pryor ...I would take Fitz over just about anyone. Dude still makes plays at a high level

 

[Harry]

Has Palmer actually confirmed his plans to play next year? All the guessing from the "experts" has been consistently suggesting he's done...

I posted at least 3 times that Palmer had been telling people he was strongly considering playing next year. He said he’s feeling great and thinks taking much of the year off will make him the healthiest he’s been in a while. I’m certain he has privately assured Fitz he’ll be back.

That said I’m stunned Fitz is coming back. Humphries does look real at LT and Peterson’s addition changes the offensive dynamic. I’m guessing Fitz has been told the Cards may take a QB, but other than that they will draft for immediate help. I doubt they will trade up. I’m thinking WRs & a TE. They might hit the O-line. Probably make some other adjustments in Free Agency.

 

[pmacLean]

Business reasons this... business reasons that...
Cap space this... Cap space that ....

I do NOT care about any of that.
I will be supremely happy (no matter what the final price) to sit on the couch, watching us at 3rd and 2 or 3rd and 7 or 3rd and anything... and yell "PASS THE DAMN BALL TO LARRY !!!" and then watch them do just that and get another first down, as we have done, over and over, year after year...

he's actually BETTER than he ever was, because he is now completely versatile, as opposed to a run down the sideline and catch it in traffic one dimensional pony.

I would take Larry over ANY other receiver in the NFL.

 

[WisconsinCard]

Good lord I don’t know how this is difficult for some of you to grasp. This is an oversimplification for arguments sake but the salary cap ensures that there are limited dollars that you can use. For every dollar that you spend on a player that will only be here for one year you have one less dollar to spend on a player that might be here for ten years. This past offseason you could have used Fitz money to sign a Robert woods who looks like he might be a good wr for years. If we aren’t going to win it all next year with the geriatrics crowd (and folks, we aren’t) then paying the old folks just impedes the youth movement.

This isn’t comparing the contributions that a Fitz can make next season to a what a Randall Cobb’s could do next year. That’s a specious argument. It’s comoaring what one year of Fitz can do compared to the chance of a decade of production from a younger player.

I get the love for Fitz and really there’s no other player I’d even consider this type of move for, but I’m also extremely practical when it comes to sports planning. And undortunatelybto he successful long term there’s an inherent ruthlessness that becomes necessary.

Basing an argument on what we could have versus what we do have makes me laugh. Your post could be very true or could be very wrong. Who knows...nobody. The point is Larry and CPs contracts for next year does not change anything or prevent anything.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Good lord I don’t know how this is difficult for some of you to grasp. This is an oversimplification for arguments sake but the salary cap ensures that there are limited dollars that you can use. For every dollar that you spend on a player that will only be here for one year you have one less dollar to spend on a player that might be here for ten years. This past offseason you could have used Fitz money to sign a Robert woods who looks like he might be a good wr for years. If we aren’t going to win it all next year with the geriatrics crowd (and folks, we aren’t) then paying the old folks just impedes the youth movement.

This isn’t comparing the contributions that a Fitz can make next season to a what a Randall Cobb’s could do next year. That’s a specious argument. It’s comoaring what one year of Fitz can do compared to the chance of a decade of production from a younger player.

I get the love for Fitz and really there’s no other player I’d even consider this type of move for, but I’m also extremely practical when it comes to sports planning. And undortunatelybto he successful long term there’s an inherent ruthlessness that becomes necessary.

I don't think I agree with this because the cap is a fluid situation and there are always ways to free up cap space. Look at what Seattle just did to fit Duane Brown and his contract under the cap. They converted Wilson's salary into a signing bonus to free up space.

If it was a hard and fast cap, I'd agree with you.

 

[ARZCardinals]

Love the player, but you can't keep dropping 10 million on a WR that produces under 1k yardage.
The math doesn't add up
Same goes for Carson.

While they got the names they don't have the production to take over 24 mill of cap space.

Keim can't keep doing the 'I like you' deals.

Paid Badger when he had a tore ACL AND still had another year on his contract. They need to look at moving his deal too because if they keep him next year his following two years are guaranteed at HUGE sums.

You don't produce winning teams handing money on past performances.

I LOVE Larry but there is NO WAY I'd pay him any more than 6.5 - 7 to play next year. That's cap suicide!

Mind you this team is well on its way to ANOTHER losing season.

Change is hard but it needs to happen.

Think about it...if Fitz agent thought he could get a better deal they'd at least take a look. There isn't a team that would pay Larry 10 mill ...none. It's a home town buffet here.

Lastly if you've watched this season Larry hasn't exactly been LARRY. He's dropped passes he never used to and thereve been more than a handful. He's not the problem on the team by any means but when you pay a player 10 mill they HAVE to be difference makers. Guy that makes the normal plays 100% and makes the wow how'd you do that every now and then. Larry simply has not.
There is no justification to give him that kind of cap space.
Hope the deal comes out and the numbers are a lot lower than I expect.

 

[oaken1]

Love the player, but you can't keep dropping 10 million on a WR that produces under 1k yardage.
The math doesn't add up
Same goes for Carson.

While they got the names they don't have the production to take over 24 mill of cap space.

Keim can't keep doing the 'I like you' deals.

Paid Badger when he had a tore ACL AND still had another year on his contract. They need to look at moving his deal too because if they keep him next year his following two years are guaranteed at HUGE sums.

You don't produce winning teams handing money on past performances.

I LOVE Larry but there is NO WAY I'd pay him any more than 6.5 - 7 to play next year. That's cap suicide!

for the most part I agree with you. But Larry is more than just a WR for this team.
Larry is the face of the franchise...and thats worth a couple million extra..
.
.
and half way through the 2017 season...
.
60 catches
677 yards
11.3 yards per catch
37 longest play
3 TD's

dude is on pace for 100 catches, 1200 yards and 6 TD's........ the numbers are solid without being spectacular

 

[BigRedRage]

Love the player, but you can't keep dropping 10 million on a WR that produces under 1k yardage.
The math doesn't add up
Same goes for Carson.

While they got the names they don't have the production to take over 24 mill of cap space.

Keim can't keep doing the 'I like you' deals.

Paid Badger when he had a tore ACL AND still had another year on his contract. They need to look at moving his deal too because if they keep him next year his following two years are guaranteed at HUGE sums.

You don't produce winning teams handing money on past performances.

I LOVE Larry but there is NO WAY I'd pay him any more than 6.5 - 7 to play next year. That's cap suicide!

Mind you this team is well knits way to ANOTHER losing season.

Change is hard but it needs to happen.

Think about it...if Fitz agent thought he could get a better deal they'd at least take a look. There isn't a team that would pay Larry 10 mill ...none. It's a home town buffet here.

Larry led the league in catches last year and is in the top 10 this year.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

You're assuming that the $$ spent on Fitz (IF he comes back), would've somehow been spent on a player that would've offered greater value than the value Fitz provides during that one final season... IMHO, that is a very iffy, very uncertain and very incalcuable assumption as this point in time. Perhaps 2-3 years from now we'll be able to look back and say, "damn, if they hadn't spent that $$ on Fitz in 2018, they would've signed so & so (and that so & so who the Cards didn't sign found success elsewhere)...

No, I’m assuming that if Fitz plays oneness more year he offers absolutely ZERO value in the nine years that follow. And I made clear, by repeatedly using the word “potential” that whomever the $$ could be used for in the alternative wouldn’t necessarily be a sure thing (busts and injuries occur), but the likelihood of getting ZERO value out of a FA is rather low.

 

[imaCafan]

He's worth every penny

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

wrap your mind around the fact that Larry can still be a productive possession receiver for another five years.
Jerry Rice retired at 42...probably should have went around 40,.. but 42 it was... and he contributed all the way up to 40.
Larry can do the same, he has the same work ethic and keeps his body in prime condition.
but it is not unheard of that he may choose to continue playing on a year to year basis.

.
If Larry is contributing as a possession guy,..even if its only, say,... 70 catches a year... he is worth what he is making and in fact NOT impeding the team from signing a younger #1 WR... as long as his contract is not surpassing fair market value for his position and production.... does he have 10 years?? way most likely not
but he does have 5 years if he chooses to keep at it. and the facts would indicate a young guy who is doing real well will likely sign somewhere else anyway after his contract expires, or price himself out of AZ because unless he is like Larry SK aint gonna pay him top dollar

You raise a valid point. IF he is going to actually play another five years. We’ve been mostly working under the assumption next year is his last. It may very well not be. If that’s the case I do indeed believe him to be worth $11 next year as long as it’s not a crutch against rebuilding.

One of the issues with relying on a player in such a scenario is it makes it difficult to succession plan. If a guy is going to decide on a year-by-year basis if he’s going to keep playing it makes it difficult to plan strategically. And yes, I realize anyone can decide to retire at any point or have an unforeseen injury. But typically you can rely on a young player to have a career of at least a few years. A year-to-year close to retirement guy makes planning more difficult.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Fitz has earned if he wants to play. The funny thing is you guys are comparing him to players like Woods? If we threw the ball to Larry 12 Times a game his stats would be crazy. He still has great hands. Wrs today are no way near automatic. There were Wrs who go from 1 team and play well and then stink or be avg for another. Desean Jackson. Sammy Watkins ...terrel Pryor ...I would take Fitz over just about anyone. Dude still makes plays at a high level

You don’t get it.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The point is Larry and CPs contracts for next year does not change anything or prevent anything.

Just because you type this doesn’t make it true. If we wanted to sign a big $$ free agent but didn’t have the cap room bc of those contracts then those contracts would PREVENT that. That’s called real world math and fact.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't think I agree with this because the cap is a fluid situation and there are always ways to free up cap space. Look at what Seattle just did to fit Duane Brown and his contract under the cap. They converted Wilson's salary into a signing bonus to free up space.

If it was a hard and fast cap, I'd agree with you.

“Ways to free up cap space” still have ramifications. Maybe it hamstrings the team in the future with dead cap space. Maybe it means cutting a young as-yet undeveloped player who could be a stud. You can’t just free up cap space in a vacuum. It doesn’t work that way. Yes you can get creative, but at some point you have to pay the piper. These are double digit salaries for Fitz and Palmer you’re talking about. The larger the salary the more games you have to play to create the “fluidity” of which you speak. The more dominoes that will have to fall either now or in the future.

 

[kerouac9]

Fitz has earned if he wants to play. The funny thing is you guys are comparing him to players like Woods? If we threw the ball to Larry 12 Times a game his stats would be crazy. He still has great hands. Wrs today are no way near automatic. There were Wrs who go from 1 team and play well and then stink or be avg for another. Desean Jackson. Sammy Watkins ...terrel Pryor ...I would take Fitz over just about anyone. Dude still makes plays at a high level

Larry’s averaging about 10 targets per game already.

 

[oaken1]

You raise a valid point. IF he is going to actually play another five years. We’ve been mostly working under the assumption next year is his last. It may very well not be. If that’s the case I do indeed believe him to be worth $11 next year as long as it’s not a crutch against rebuilding.

One of the issues with relying on a player in such a scenario is it makes it difficult to succession plan. If a guy is going to decide on a year-by-year basis if he’s going to keep playing it makes it difficult to plan strategically. And yes, I realize anyone can decide to retire at any point or have an unforeseen injury. But typically you can rely on a young player to have a career of at least a few years. A year-to-year close to retirement guy makes planning more difficult.

I agree that it complicates matters a bit and if it were any other than the greatest player to ever wear your uniform then maybe dont do it.
I think this team has done fairly well over the years identifying young WR's,...so should be able to work around Larry and keep us stocked with young WR's that play cheap

 

[82CardsGrad]

No, I’m assuming that if Fitz plays oneness more year he offers absolutely ZERO value in the nine years that follow. And I made clear, by repeatedly using the word “potential” that whomever the $$ could be used for in the alternative wouldn’t necessarily be a sure thing (busts and injuries occur), but the likelihood of getting ZERO value out of a FA is rather low.

9 years to follow?? Fitz is coming back for one more year (we believe). If he, Carson, BASK and Mike B all believe he offers value beyond anything that can be grabbed elsewhere, I concur with that line of thinking. And this isn’t a binary situation, where Fitz comes back therefore we will suck because his presence somehow prevented the team from making a move/moves that would’ve provided greater value... We can have Fitz and still make the right moves...

 

[WisconsinCard]

Just because you type this doesn’t make it true. If we wanted to sign a big $$ free agent but didn’t have the cap room bc of those contracts then those contracts would PREVENT that. That’s called real world math and fact.

Still with the "ifs and buts". Funny that you write just because you type it doesn't make it true, yet your posts are full of speculations and maybes.

 

[Snakester]

At least we will have one good receiver next year.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Still with the "ifs and buts". Funny that you write just because you type it doesn't make it true, yet your posts are full of speculations and maybes.

Money paid to carson and Fitz not being available to pay other players is not speculation. It’s fact.

 

[WisconsinCard]

Money paid to carson and Fitz not being available to pay other players is not speculation. It’s fact.

It's speculation that that money would be better spent though.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

“Ways to free up cap space” still have ramifications. Maybe it hamstrings the team in the future with dead cap space. Maybe it means cutting a young as-yet undeveloped player who could be a stud. You can’t just free up cap space in a vacuum. It doesn’t work that way. Yes you can get creative, but at some point you have to pay the piper. These are double digit salaries for Fitz and Palmer you’re talking about. The larger the salary the more games you have to play to create the “fluidity” of which you speak. The more dominoes that will have to fall either now or in the future.

In theory, yes. But it never seems to be the case. How many times did we sit and wonder how Dan Snyder was fitting all those contracts under the cap and they never, at least as far as I can remember, were ever hamstrung in acquiring player.

It's not like the hard cap in hockey where the Blackhawks seeming year after year have to jettison good players to stay under the cap.

 

[az240zz]

Money paid to carson and Fitz not being available to pay other players is not speculation. It’s fact.

Fake news, alternative facts. But if Fritz wants to stay let him, but there will be no success unless we get a formidable front line with quality back ups..

 

[Chopper0080]

In reality...Fitz was going to cost the Cardinals 4mil next year regardless. We would have needed to use 7 mil on a #1 WR. It is really a wash in terms of the cap. Always happy to keep Fitz around as he is productive. Not sure what it means for Arians and Palmer.

 

[AZ Native]

Maybe Larry could play until age 42 too and everyone would say "Jerry who?". But seriously next year will be his last. He says he doesn't care about records, just winning a Super Bowl, well that is great. But one more year with the cards may put him in the record books at #2, but zero chance of winning an SB. Larry always says the right thing. Based on his supporting cast, he is #1 in my book.