More details and opinion on offer to Fitz

[Skkorpion]

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10669535

If this guy is right, I don't want Fitz on my team.

 

[clif]

Still not concerned. It will get done.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

So far, Fitzgerald and agent Eugene Parker have balked at the deal, which is leading to the showdown on Friday. The Cardinals have offered Fitzgerald $25 million in guaranteed money, but he wants more than the $32.5 million in guarantees that Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson got last year. But that guaranteed money was paid on a six-year deal. Parker wants more on a four-year deal. Offering $25 million on four years is not being cheap.


How about more like being unrealistic on the part of the player? Is Fitzgerald worth that money? Of course he isn't. But who is? In the current NFL climate, where journeymen free agents will get paid, Fitzgerald deserves a new deal -- just not the outrageous numbers he's seeking.
He is young and popular and the Cardinals want to keep him, but at the same time they would love to keep their team together -- and maybe make it better.

The receiver's greed won't let that happen.

If the Cardinals were offering a deal that didn't make him the highest-paid receiver, I'd be firmly in Fitzgerald's corner. Like I said, I want players to get paid, especially good ones.

But this is a bit much.

Parker didn't return a phone call to get his side but it's hard to imagine anything he would say that wouldn't portray Fitzgerald as being unrealistic.

Fitz...

 

[Sandan]

Dang was just gonna post this

 

[imaCafan]

Thanks, Pete. MAYBE this will help speed things up somehow...........

 

[Sandan]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica] One thing's for certain about these talks: The Cardinals aren't being cheap. That's the old Cardinals. The new Cardinals have the revenue to give out lucrative contracts, and in this case they are more than willing to do so.[/FONT]

Seems like not everybody feels the delay is on our end

 

[ajcardfan]

Bah, typical pre-deal haggling. Parker knows he isn't going to get four years. On the other hand, after the deal he got for Fitz last time, why wouldn't he shoot for the moon?

BTW, the 32 mil number is basically what he is set to make the next two years. I told you guys that they would START from that point in guaranteed money. Otherwise, financially, what's the point in extending from the player's point of view?

I try to remember Wadsworth and never get caught up in the emotion of a contract negotiation. Once it's over, the team, teammates, and player move on like it never happened.

 

[cardsfanmd]

I am so pissed right now...

 

[imaCafan]

Question: 4 year deal w/$25 million guaranteed is $6.25 million a year. 6 year deal would equate to $37.5 million guaranteed. Of course from there you add salary/incentives. Is it just the matter of getting another contract in 4 years that makes the shorter deal more attractive, because $25 mil. don't look near as good as $37.5 mil...............

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Well if Fitz's agent let's it go until the "new" season and then accepts a similar deal, it's kind of bush league on his part. All that is doing is trying to make a point at the expense of the good of the team. It sounds like they are closer to a deal than what has been let on. I never understand why a compromise can't easily be reached in these situations. Parker wants 4/32. Graves wants 6/25. It sounds to me like 5/27.5 is not that hard to reach . Of course we are just talking about guaranteed money in those numbers. The base salary would have to be added plus incentives.

 

[slanidrac16]

I said it was going to take about 35 mil guaranteed to get this done. If the Cards pony up that much money they could demand a 6 year deal.

 

[ajcardfan]

Well if Fitz's agent let's it go until the "new" season and then accepts a similar deal, it's kind of bush league on his part. All that is doing is trying to make a point at the expense of the good of the team. It sounds like they are closer to a deal than what has been let on. I never understand why a compromise can't easily be reached in these situations. Parker wants 4/32. Graves wants 6/25. It sounds to me like 5/27.5 is not that hard to reach .

Yeah, you usually don't start to see these types of stories unless they are actually negotiating. A lot of times, it will happen pretty fast. I remember Len P. writing a gloom-and-doom story on Bryant Johnson. He was going to be an ugly hold out, count on it, etc. Less than 3 hours after that story came up on ESPN, he agreed to a deal.

 

[imaCafan]

Oops....read it wrong. Thought Parker wanted 4/25 and Cards wanted a longer deal. Missed that Parker wanted 4/32+........

 

[dogpoo32]

Just pay him! He deserves big money, and while this may be a bit much, its time for the Cards to pony up. It isn't like we are in a position to guarantee him wins.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Just pay him! He deserves big money, and while this may be a bit much, its time for the Cards to pony up. It isn't like we are in a position to guarantee him wins.

So wrong. I cannot explain how bad of an idea it is to invest that kind of unbelievable money into one WR. Even the best in the league. Especially when you have a multi time Pro bowler (Q) on the other side.

This is Fitz pulling a power play and I think it speaks to bigger things. I think he is hiding behind the guise of unrealistic contract demands to force his way out sooner rather then later. I just get the feeling he - deep down - wants to be somewhere else.

I hope I am wrong. But like you CardsfanMD I am angry and even moreso conflicted. I don't know why it has to be this way but it is. Now i'm more then just interested in what he may fetch in a trade.

 

[gohard83]

Wow i am speachless

Being the #1 paid WR is not enough for this guy? 25 mil guaranteed is big big money.

Quite frankly, i think deep down inside he just wants to get out of Arizona.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I love reading the user posts after the article. lol

As far as the column. If true, Fitz will fix this. If he doesn't, then the Denny firing really was an issue.

 

[DaisyCutter]

Remember, everyone, the Cards don't negotiate through the press.

Go get your paper, Larry. You're scheduled to make $31 million over the next two years. You'll get it from somewhere. You earned that money. Let your agent take care of the finances, and keep running patters with Leinart every day to get better.

Larry Fitzgerald in 4 years: 34 TDs, 4 missed games.
Anquan Boldin in 4 years: 20 TDs, 8 missed games.

 

[ItsInTheCards]

I said it was going to take about 35 mil guaranteed to get this done. If the Cards pony up that much money they could demand a 6 year deal.

I dont understand it either.....why should Larry accept less guaranteed money for a 6 year deal than he could make in the next 2?

25 mil guaranteed on a 6 year deal might be the highest guarantee so far for a receiver, but its not in line with guaranteed money that the elite players at other positions are getting

I'm interested in how much of a guarantee it looks like the Saints will give Asante, assuming that he signs there

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Remember, everyone, the Cards don't negotiate through the press.

Go get your paper, Larry. You're scheduled to make $31 million over the next two years. You'll get it from somewhere. You earned that money. Let your agent take care of the finances, and keep running patters with Leinart every day to get better.

Larry Fitzgerald in 4 years: 34 TDs, 4 missed games.
Anquan Boldin in 4 years: 20 TDs, 8 missed games.

Exactly. If Fitzgerald does nothing, he gets 14.6 and 17.2M in the next two years. That's 32M. Graves has already said that he won't cut Fitzgerald, so that's 14.6M right there. There is a chance that they cut him next year, but trading him would be much more likely.

So lets say Fitz gets traded next year. He still collects his 14.6M this year, and probably resigns a new deal with his new team with at least a 25M bonus. If he does nothing, he probably gets MORE money.

Fitz has ALL the leverage here. I wouldn't budge for anything less than 30M if I were him.

 

[NMCard]

Seems like fans are turning on Fitz.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Seems like fans are turning on Fitz.

He had about 2 months where he was more loved than Boldin. It's a record.

 

[Stout]

Look at it this way. Fitz wants a 4 year deal, which is exceptionally short and would be a huge win for him in contract negotiations to hold us to 4 years. Getting a 4 year deal with a huge bonus is hitting the jackpot for any player.

Now, would you like to give Fitz 8 million a year in guaranteed money? I sure wouldn't. That's just outrageous. Well, that's what he'd get with 32 million guaranteed over a 4 year contract. Um, no thanks.

Some people keep saying, ad nauseum, that he will get 32 million over the next 2 years. That simply is not true. That might be what his contract currently says, but if he gets hurt he doesn't see it all. If he goes into this season at his current cap number, I guarantee he'll never see the end of the contract...he'll be cut or traded next offseason before we let this happen again, I should hope. So, at best, he'll see 14 million he's due this season. It sounds like we're bending to his 4-year demand. That's over 6 million guaranteed a season, which is a lot of cabbage. It's also a 4 year contract, which is a huge win for Fitz, assuring he'll get another big payday if all goes well.

So, what's the deal really? Who knows for sure. If this is how it's going down, I tip my hat to the Cards for leaking it to the media. It's just plain greedy and money grubbing. If this is not how it's going down, then it's a bad, bad negotiating strategy by the Cards.

Ugh. I doubt this deal gets done in time for FA, if at all.

 

[imaCafan]

I've been expecting this to be done by this evening (Wed.) or mid morning tomorrow at the latest. I'm starting to get nervous......

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Look at it this way. Fitz wants a 4 year deal, which is exceptionally short and would be a huge win for him in contract negotiations to hold us to 4 years. Getting a 4 year deal with a huge bonus is hitting the jackpot for any player.

Now, would you like to give Fitz 8 million a year in guaranteed money? I sure wouldn't. That's just outrageous. Well, that's what he'd get with 32 million guaranteed over a 4 year contract. Um, no thanks.

Some people keep saying, ad nauseum, that he will get 32 million over the next 2 years. That simply is not true. That might be what his contract currently says, but if he gets hurt he doesn't see it all. If he goes into this season at his current cap number, I guarantee he'll never see the end of the contract...he'll be cut or traded next offseason before we let this happen again, I should hope. So, at best, he'll see 14 million he's due this season. It sounds like we're bending to his 4-year demand. That's over 6 million guaranteed a season, which is a lot of cabbage. It's also a 4 year contract, which is a huge win for Fitz, assuring he'll get another big payday if all goes well.

So, what's the deal really? Who knows for sure. If this is how it's going down, I tip my hat to the Cards for leaking it to the media. It's just plain greedy and money grubbing. If this is not how it's going down, then it's a bad, bad negotiating strategy by the Cards.

Ugh. I doubt this deal gets done in time for FA, if at all.

Let's be Fitz again. Lets say we can not come up with a contract extension this year. He will still make his 14.6M this year. What about next year?

If they try to regotiate next year, what amount of guaranteed money do you think that they will start with? Probably the same 25M that they are offering him right now. I doubt that they pay him the 17.4M next year, so they trade him, and another team gives him 25M.
Now Fitz gets more than the 32M that he is scheduled to make in the next two years.

The Cards should have restructured him last year to avoid this.