Cards reach agreement with Fitzgerald; cut C Kendall
SportsTicker
FLAGSTAFF, Arizona (Ticker) - The Arizona Cardinals will have Larry Fitzgerald, the first receiver selected in the 2004 draft, in training camp Monday. However, Pete Kendall will not be around.
Fitzgerald agreed to a six-year contract after his agent Eugene Parker conducted round-the-clock negotiations with Cardinals vice president of football operations Rod Graves.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The third overall pick in the draft, Fitzgerald is a favorite of new Cardinals coach Dennis Green. Fitzgerald worked as a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings when Green was the coach and grew friendly with receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss.
Kendall, Arizona's starting center, is probably not a fan of Green. The eight-year veteran was cut before he even made the trip to Northern Arizona University on Sunday.
"My only comment is that I'm shocked and that I'll be moving forward," Kendall said when he returned to the team's Tempe facility.
Kendall, 31, was due to make $2.75 million this year and $2 million in 2005. The money saved under the salary cap with his release went right to Fitzgerald.
The Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation's best receiver and Heisman Trophy runner-up, Fitzgerald led the nation in receiving yards with 1,672 on 92 catches with 22 touchdowns in 2003 as a sophomore at Pittsburgh. He also broke the NCAA record for consecutive games with a touchdown catch (18). Fitzgerald was allowed to enter the draft after his sophomore year since he was three years removed from prep school.
Green plans to often emply a three-receiver alignment with Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, and Bryant Johnson, the team's first-round pick in 2003.
The 6-3, 225-pound Fitzgerald is as polished as any college wideout in recent years. He is not a speed burner, but has excellent size, rare athletic ability, quickness in and out of breaks and sure hands.
Fitzgerald's lack of ego was apparent in the way he flipped the football to officials after every touchdown, like his football idol Barry Sanders.