Fitz restructures contract

[RugbyMuffin]

OK... I get that he didn't give up anything and unquestionably, a bird in the hand is certainly better off.
I guess I key more into the fact that both the team and Fitz were committed to getting this done this year, when he could've been traded... I'm pretty sure there would've been a nice line of teams willing to snatch him up. Who knows , that may still happen. However, everything both sides have said indicated he will be here for the rest of his career. It will take both sides to make that happen and for sure, after next year the true test of each will be on display...

+1

Thus kudos to Keim, IMO.

He has a plan for the offseason, and unlike year's past, instead of taking 2 months to get the first step of the plan done, he just got it done, out of the way, and takes the distraction out of the offseason when it comes to Fitzgerald.

The move is what it is money wise. He was a 3rd overall pick in the pre-2011 CBA era, and then went ahead and hit every escalator in his rookie contact. That is why the whole situation is so expensive, and why in 2011 they changed the system.

2015 should be interesting around this time next year. Fitzgerald is going to have to take a pay cut in one way or another, at some point, or no longer be a Cardinal.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Obviously a restructure isn't going to effect his guarenteed money, but isn't it quite possible that he could end up seeing less total money by restucturing if he was cut with a year or 2 left on the contract?

 

[Totally_Red]

What this amounts to is Steve Keim and Bruce Arians trying to clean up the mess left by Rod Graves and Ken Whisenhunt. This $9-million plus salary cap saving for 2014 offsets the $9-million plus in dead money from the Levi Brown & Adam Snyder mistakes inherited from Whis and Rod.

I agree with the analysis that the Cardinals are going all-out for 2014. They'll be active in re-signing their own and acquring a free agent or two.

It will be interesting to see if they ask Daryn Colledge to take a pay cut. I think this restructure opens up that as a distinct possibility versus cutting him outright. One thing I'm relatively sure of: he wouldn't get $4.8 million in the open market as an average 32-year NFL guard.

 

[WildBB]

What this amounts to is Steve Keim and Bruce Arians trying to clean up the mess left by Rod Graves and Ken Whisenhunt. This $9-million plus salary cap saving for 2014 offsets the $9-million plus in dead money from the Levi Brown & Adam Snyder mistakes inherited from Whis and Rod.

I agree with the analysis that the Cardinals are going all-out for 2014. They'll be active in re-signing their own and acquring a free agent or two.

It will be interesting to see if they ask Daryn Colledge to take a pay cut. I think this restructure opens up that as a distinct possibility versus cutting him outright. One thing I'm relatively sure of: he wouldn't get $4.8 million in the open market as an average 32-year NFL guard.

They cured 2014 mostly. The rest comes with the release of College. He's done here.

Fitz is due an 8M roster bonus next year. Plus 16M in salary. There is a hot line between the AZ And NE FO's being installed as we speak. What can we get back at that point, a late 4th Rd. pick?

Maybe they can just extend out the 8M bonus for 2015 again?

Best scenario, we'll have him for two more years?

 

[WildBB]

Obviously a restructure isn't going to effect his guarenteed money, but isn't it quite possible that he could end up seeing less total money by restucturing if he was cut with a year or 2 left on the contract?

The only guaranteed money is the bonuses, which he converted his 2014 salary to. So that's now guaranteed. He also has 8M bonus guaranteed for 2015. The rest Of the contract through 2018 is not. But it does have CAP implications, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[BigRedRage]

The canonizing of Fitz and vilifying Boldin is pretty annoying as well. Anquan came here as almost a complete unknown and was much more instrumental in changing the "Cardinal way" than any other player. Sure, things were acrimonious in the end, but it also seems to me at least *possible* that the Bidwills screwed Boldin.

Compare their cost and production over the last couple years, and it's hard to make an argument in Fitz's favor. I know he's the most loved athlete in AZ right now, but let's try to have some perspective.

I remain a fan of both, great players. Q is still a favorite but he is a different breed than fitz. Q is football, Fitz is a WR.

 

[cardpa]

Unless he willing to tear up the contract, the FO will almost certainly need to release Larry in 2015. Na gon happen.

Ding ding ding! The only way out of this mess is to write a new contract and tear up the old one. No amount of restructuring is going to improve the status quo. Larry didn't lose a penny with the present restructuring. It just pushed money around to other years. It has not changed the amount owed Larry. A new contract is the only way to get relief from what the Cardinals would owe Larry in future years.

 

[BigRedRage]

I don't think he (Q) is better. Im saying that you blaming the QB's for Fitz lack of production is just an excuse. He just isn't the same player he was. And the bottom line for his level of production come 2015 with a 24 million dollar cap hit he won't be playing in AZ anymore. JMO!

Hopefully LArry doesnt have any hamstring issues this year and can have a true #1 season.

 

[Totally_Red]

Hopefully LArry doesnt have any hamstring issues this year and can have a true #1 season.

This! I anticipate a better year from Larry if he's 100% healthy.

He will be more familiar with Carson Palmer and B.A.'s offense. The same coaching staff will be in place. The same offense will be in place and probably enhanced. Most of the same skill players will be in place.

The offense should be better and Larry should be part of that improvement. The glass is half-full.

 

[ajcardfan]

This! I anticipate a better year from Larry if he's 100% healthy.

He will be more familiar with Carson Palmer and B.A.'s offense. The same coaching staff will be in place. The same offense will be in place and probably enhanced. Most of the same skill players will be in place.

The offense should be better and Larry should be part of that improvement. The glass is half-full.

Part of it was how Larry was used this past season as well. BA used Larry as a decoy far more than any previous coach. That's a big part of why Floyd was able to have a breakout season and why Housler had so many spectacular drops.

 

[BillsCarnage]

Decoy for who?? Fitz is double teamed all the time because no other receiver has stepped up constantly. *cough* Boldin *cough*
Floyd had 3 straight good games and a good one the last game. The other12, he didn't do much. Not sure that's breakout...

 

[BigRedRage]

Decoy for who?? Fitz is double teamed all the time because no other receiver has stepped up constantly. *cough* Boldin *cough*
Floyd had 3 straight good games and a good one the last game. The other12, he didn't do much. Not sure that's breakout...

Floyd had a stellar season of over 1k yards last year. If that is not a benchmark for a good season then I dont know what is.

He also had many clutch catches and tons of first downs. something like 30 first down catches in a row.

 

[wa52lz]

Maybe someone should contact Keim and tell him what an idiot he was for doing this and that Fitz's cap number is going to be $24 million next year, i'm sure the people on this board are the only ones who know!! Man I cant believe he wouldnt have known that before doing this, what a jerk!!

 

[Mitch]

The Fitz situation is a conundrum. He basically now is a one year rental---with no telling what in the world will transpire in 2015 when his cap figure surpasses $20,000,000.

The other part of the conundrum is that Fitz may no longer be the #1 option in BA's offense---with Floyd emerging, with the versatile Ellington in play and a speedy playmaking WR and an upgrade at TE on the way.

The pressure to get Fitz his targets and touches can be weighty on the QB and as we have seen, can lead to costly interceptions.

Finally, what one has to wonder is whether Fitz will ever find an answer to beating Richard Sherman, who has been blanketing him with relative ease for the past two years.

Steve Keim has sworn that Fitz will be a Cardinal for his entire career. But, let's be real. It won't be at the cost of making the Cardinals less competitive in the NFC West.

Therefore, it is entirely possible that the Cardinals will entertain trade offers for Fitz---from teams who think they will be able to pay Fitz $8.6M this year and then entice him to sign a new contract with them for 2015 and beyond.

What if, for example, the Vikings offered the #40th and #96th picks in this year's draft, plus a 3rd rounder in 2015.

The Cardinals would be able, for example, to draft:

20. Kony Ealy, OLB/DE, Missouri
40. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois
52. Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
84. Jimmy Ward, S, Northern Illinois
96. James Hurst, T, North Carolina
116. C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa
148. Tyler Larsen, C/G, Utah St.
180. Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina

Having previously signed WR Emmanuel Sanders in free agency.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Decoy for who?? Fitz is double teamed all the time because no other receiver has stepped up constantly. *cough* Boldin *cough*
Floyd had 3 straight good games and a good one the last game. The other12, he didn't do much. Not sure that's breakout...

Dude, it's obvious to me. He's a decoy for Jim Dray...


.

 

[Russ Smith]

This! I anticipate a better year from Larry if he's 100% healthy.

He will be more familiar with Carson Palmer and B.A.'s offense. The same coaching staff will be in place. The same offense will be in place and probably enhanced. Most of the same skill players will be in place.

The offense should be better and Larry should be part of that improvement. The glass is half-full.

I certainly hope so but guys with 10 years in the NFL tend to start having problems like Larry has had with his legs of late. We all know he works as hard as anybody in the game, he's not having hammy issues because he was out of shape, he's having them because he's 30 and has played 10 NFL seasons.

I've said it a couple of times nothing would please me more than to see Larry show up next season 10-15 pounds lighter. I'm not saying he's fat, I'm saying as he gets older he might find that carrying less bulk makes him a bit more explosive and takes some wear and tear off his legs.

Larry still had 10 TD's last year but he simply wasn't nearly as good and much of that appeared to be with the hammy issues he had no burst at all.

 

[Duckjake]

The other part of the conundrum is that Fitz may no longer be the #1 option in BA's offense---with Floyd emerging, with the versatile Ellington in play and a speedy playmaking WR and an upgrade at TE on the way.

The pressure to get Fitz his targets and touches can be weighty on the QB and as we have seen, can lead to costly interceptions.

These two statements don't seem to go together. If Floyd is emerging and Ellington becoming more of an offensive weapon and the Cards add a speed WR and upgrade at TE the Cards shouldn't have to force the ball to Larry any longer.

I will say this, and I've said it for years, Fitz is slow off the line of scrimmage. At the pro bowl he was always the last WR to get moving.

But I'm not worried about the salary cap. The Cards paid Dansby franchise tag $ two years in a row and had enough cash to have a roster that made the playoffs two years in a row. Wasted almost $20 million on Kolb. And more millions on Bradley and Snyder and Colledge and Levi Davis, and still managed to put together a 10-6 team with runaway wins over two Playoff teams in Carolina and the Colts plus beating the Seahawks in Seattle.

 

[PDXChris]

So I heard this morning that yesterday or Monday that this was first day that players could sign deals like this one, so I would have to assume with all the reports lately that this has been in place for some time. Heck, it could have been in place since last season. Based on that, I would nt be surprised if something else is also not already in place for next season, actaully I am pretty confident in that based on Keim and how he does things. I think they keep doing these work around deals until the final year and then extend him one last time and spread out the remaining money from this deal to that deal. I am not worried at all and feel Fitz retired a Card.

Also, this new deal makes him untradeable until at least next year since the cap hit this year would be astronomical. So can we stop the Fitz trade rumor threads for at least the next year?

 

[PDXChris]

Dude, it's obvious to me. He's a decoy for Jim Dray...


.

5/5

 

[oaken1]

from day 1 Larry's contracts have always been about keeping Larry in control of his career...how many players have we ever given no trade clauses too?
IMO next off season we will see this deal torn up and Fitz will get something in the neighborhood of five years, 30 million or so,...with 10 million up front...Larry seams to like cashing fat checks...

 

[kerouac9]

from day 1 Larry's contracts have always been about keeping Larry in control of his career...how many players have we ever given no trade clauses too?
IMO next off season we will see this deal torn up and Fitz will get something in the neighborhood of five years, 30 million or so,...with 10 million up front...Larry seams to like cashing fat checks...

I dunno. I'd have to open up a spreadsheet and really noodle out what the cap ramifications of doing that would be. I think that the Cards would have to absorb all of the "old" contract immediately in that case, and then have to additionally account for the $2M+ of "new money" that Fitz would create.

That $8M roster bonus due sometime in 2015 is just a poison pill. That and his base salary creates a $16M cap hold by themselves.

 

[Shane]

from day 1 Larry's contracts have always been about keeping Larry in control of his career...how many players have we ever given no trade clauses too?
IMO next off season we will see this deal torn up and Fitz will get something in the neighborhood of five years, 30 million or so,...with 10 million up front...Larry seams to like cashing fat checks...

Does anyone have any examples where an organization and a player just tore up the old contract and began with a new fresh one?

Also unless Fitz's production goes way the hell up he won't be with the value of the new contract you're suggesting either.

 

[oaken1]

Does anyone have any examples where an organization and a player just tore up the old contract and began with a new fresh one?

Also unless Fitz's production goes way the hell up he won't be with the value of the new contract you're suggesting either.

not certain,....I was under the impression that Favre,..and maybe Manning, both did so at one time in order to create space to improve the teams....
I could be mistaken, old age and all,...

 

[MadCardDisease]

I dunno. I'd have to open up a spreadsheet and really noodle out what the cap ramifications of doing that would be. I think that the Cards would have to absorb all of the "old" contract immediately in that case, and then have to additionally account for the $2M+ of "new money" that Fitz would create.

That $8M roster bonus due sometime in 2015 is just a poison pill. That and his base salary creates a $16M cap hold by themselves.

I believe they would have to account for all of his remaining signing bonuses from the old contract which would be a significant chunk of change. Plus any new signing bonus money and salary he would get on a new deal that would affect 2015. So his cap hit in 2015 would still be really large no matter what they do (Keep, Cut, or Redo Contract).

Whatever happens the specter of Rod Graves lives on at least another year as we kick this can down the road.

 

[kerouac9]

Does anyone have any examples where an organization and a player just tore up the old contract and began with a new fresh one?

Also unless Fitz's production goes way the hell up he won't be with the value of the new contract you're suggesting either.

The Cards did that (essentially) with Levi Brown, although the timeline was a little different.

It looks like Tom Brady's 2013 "extension" did that:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/patriots/2013/02/26/tom-brady-contract-breakdown/1949135/

The new agreement replaces the four-year, $72 million extension that took effect in 2011, one year after Brady signed it.

The Cards, IIRC, threw out Kevin Kolb's old contract after they traded for him and handed him that $60M albatross.

I'm pretty sure that Fitz's extensions from his rookie deal and his second contract were essentially new deals that moved money around, trading early high salaries for guaranteed money and more years.

It's kind of a matter of labeling.