More details and opinion on offer to Fitz

[imaCafan]

Give him $38 mil. SB on a new 6 year deal. Start with small base and work up as the years progress. Couple of bells and whistles.......there you go. First year cap hit $7.5 mil. (first year salary $1.25 mil.)

 

[WisconsinCard]

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.

I don't believe another team will give him 25 mil signing bonus. He may get another guaranteed 25 mil, but over how many years? So to say he will make more if he waits is a possiblity, I wouldn't say its a probability.

 

[cardsfanmd]

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.

We definitely wont be if we give him that money. I just dont get some of you guys. Would you rather have a few perrenial pro bowlers or a playoff team. With contracts like Fitz wants, we cant have both.

 

[DaisyCutter]

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.

I think that's a question that isn't being answered through the Cards' in-public negotiation. Are we talkinga bout a 4-year extension, where we lower the cap number but just add 4 years to his current deal (what we did with Anquan two years ago), or are we talking about tearing up his current deal (which I don't think we can do) and giving him a new four-year contract. A four-year extension doesn't make sense for Fitz, because he's taking less money over the next two years (especially when you're talking about only $25 million in guarantees.

People are so quick to say that we're only getting one side of the story when it comes to players' negotiations. We're only getting one side of this story as well.

If the Cards really are offering the richest contract in team history, what did the team give to Plummer on his contract extension?

 

[joeshmo]

A few things that give me pause to the validity of this story.

1. How does he know the details of what is being offered yet our two home town guys or the radio shows do not. Dont buy it one bit on the Cards side or Fitz side.

2. His numbers and facts are incorrect. Calvin Johnson did not get 32+ mill in gaurantees, he got 27 Mill in gaurantee's. There are a few others but overall it looks like another case of a national media reporter getting his facts wrong or putting out a report that doesnt have all the facts or is slightly skewed. Just like the report that we were over the cap.

 

[joeshmo]

I think that's a question that isn't being answered through the Cards' in-public negotiation. Are we talkinga bout a 4-year extension,

That is a good very good point. Rip up old deal for 4 years or add 4 years to end of deal with new gauranteed money and base salaries throughout the 6 years total? Which one is it.

Just another story put out with nothing answered with vague details or details that can mean multiple things.. That causes a crap strom here.

Still nothing but vague answers that could mean a lot of things. I still cant pick a side considering that.

 

[WildBB]

Offer 32 Mil Guar. for 4 yrs. He'll be making that anyway over the next two. Deal done. He's shown he's not injury prone. Hi might need to adjust his signing bonus a little if he wants the guar. $$$$.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I don't believe another team will give him 25 mil signing bonus. He may get another guaranteed 25 mil, but over how many years? So to say he will make more if he waits is a possiblity, I wouldn't say its a probability.

You don't think that another team will give a 25 year old pro-bowl'r 25M guaranteed?

I will just disagree with you.

 

[Borderrat]

Trade Fitz

Do I think Fitz has earned a new contract, yes. But no one player is bigger than the team. Look at the contract Tom Brady could of actually had to what he accepted for example. One of the main reasons the Patriots can sign big name free agents.

And who says Fitz plays this year and will accept a new contract next year? So the team is possibly in cap hell for the next two years and cannot sign any free agents or their own players. Then Fitz can walk away a free agent and get his new contract from another team.

So if Fitz will not accept a fair contract from the Cardinals then trade him and move on.

 

[imaCafan]

Who you gonna trade him to? And what will you want in return? How about trading him to Minnesota for AP and Hutch????????

 

[football karma]

on Fitz -- for the most part: NOT TRADEABLE -- at least not for value you would want in return

I think the Fitz situation is similiar to having the No. 1 pick in the draft: yes you get great talent, but you also inherit an enormous financial commitment. That financial commitment de-values the talent part of the equation.

How many teams out there right now have all of the following:
1. Need at WR
2. Willingness to give a $30 mm guarantee
3. Willingness to give multiple draft picks

I can think of only one: Washington

a one buyer market doesnt exactly produce a good bargain for a seller

 

[joko4]

Fitz is using greed as a smokescreen, his giant contract will force Q off the team
in the near future. Perfect for Fitz, he gets the big contract and gets rid of the
Card fans favorite WR.
Simply, you cannot have two all-pro wideouts with similar attributes on the same team. We all knew this day was coming. If Fitz signs before Friday, it's doomsday for Q.

 

[BACH]

Like Joe says, I wouldn't trust the numbers that much. It seems odd that a national reporter can dig out the specifics when there hasn't been anything about them in the local media.

BUT!

There's is one important aspect of this article. It confirms that the media have changed side when dealing with PR issues with this team. It has always been "Same old cheap Cardinals!" when there was a contract issue. Appearently this has changed, so the agents cannot go into a hold-out with a win-win situation.

I means, that the reason why Fitz got this deal to begin with. Fitz's agent asked for a deal worth more than the #3 overall draft slot dictated. They held out and the Cards had no leverage, because they were being slaugthered by the press. If the played hardball, the press would kill them.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Who you gonna trade him to? And what will you want in return? How about trading him to Minnesota for AP and Hutch????????

Minnesota wouldn't do that IMO, but I would take Hutch or Antoine Winfield and their first rounder. Then we could take either Stewart or Mendenhall and Branden Albert or DRC/Jenkins (depending on whether we get Hutch or Winfield). We then resign BJ and Pace and take either Donnie Avery in the second or Jordy Nelson in the third.

 

[Borderrat]

Trade Fitz

I realize the Cardinals would not get in return what Fitz is worth. I doubt they could even get a first round pick. But sometimes a team is better by subtraction.

With Fitz's contract off the books the Cardinals could resign Pace, sign Faneca and it still leaves room for another free agent or two.

If they got a late first rounder for Fitz the Cardinals could possibly draft Stewart and DRC. Even if the Cards got a second round pick for Fitz it would let them draft Stewart or DRC in the first and the top CB and/DE/LB on their draft board in the second round.

My point is with Fitz and his contract the Cardinals are handcuffed and the same team if not worse. Minus Fitz (and yes I do realize they need a replacement for him) they have numerous options to improve the TEAM.

Just my opinion and I am a big fan of Fitz.

 

[Duckjake]

The Cards had enough cap room last year to use $11 million dollars in cap space on Al Johnson and THolt and now $14 million for Fitz puts them in a real bad cap situation? I still don't get it.

Didn't we just pay Holt $4million in guaranteed money for one miserable season? That should make Fitz worth $7 million guaranteed for the rest of Larry's life.

Reggie Wayne/Marvin Harrison and Holt/Bruce have been on the same team for many years.

The Cards are getting ready for the 6th year of drafts since the huge roster purge and management/financial changes of the 2003 off season. Their key players are going to be 4,5,6 year veterans. And they are good players. We are in a great position to win now, not 3 to 5 years from now. Management has to make moves with that in mind.

 

[Matt L]

Trade Fitz for a second round pick? Are we the Suns now? How about we trade him for a second rounder and 1 million in cash?

I especially love the addition by subtraction spin that seems to come out whenever a crappy trade is made or when a good player is not offered a new contract to re-sign.

 

[DaisyCutter]

Obviously, the thing to do with the best player on your team (let's be honest about it), is to trade him for $0.60 on the dollar.

 

[Shane]

Obviously, the thing to do with the best player on your team (let's be honest about it), is to trade him for $0.60 on the dollar.

That would be great if we were talking about that player

 

[dreamcastrocks]

The Cards had enough cap room last year to use $11 million dollars in cap space on Al Johnson and THolt and now $14 million for Fitz puts them in a real bad cap situation? I still don't get it.

Didn't we just pay Holt $4million in guaranteed money for one miserable season? That should make Fitz worth $7 million guaranteed for the rest of Larry's life.

Reggie Wayne/Marvin Harrison and Holt/Bruce have been on the same team for many years.

The Cards are getting ready for the 6th year of drafts since the huge roster purge and management/financial changes of the 2003 off season. Their key players are going to be 4,5,6 year veterans. And they are good players. We are in a great position to win now, not 3 to 5 years from now. Management has to make moves with that in mind.

Bolded for truth.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Yeah, what's Fitzgerald thinking not taking $25 million guaranteed over four years when he can have $32 million over the next two by not signing anything?

Get it done Cardinals and for the hundredth time, stop freaking negotiating in the press.

 

[Pariah]

I'll wait until next week to pass judgement. If the Fitz camp is holding firm on those demands, then I'll be outraged. But, until then, what kind of agent would this guy be if he took the first offer?

The Agent for Larry Fitzgerald arrives at Rod Graves' office looking daper and read to negotiate. He's wearing a power suit and he's all business.

Agent: Hello, Rod. I want to let you know that whatever happens during these negotiations is just business. I'm here to get the best deal for my clent and you're here to get the best deal for the Cardinals. We both know that, and we both know this won't be easy. So what do you say we just get started.

Graves: Fair enough. I'm writing down on this piece of paper a figure we think is a fair starting point to negotiatons.

(pushes the piece of paper across the table to agent)

Agent (eyes popping out of his head): WE'LL TAKE IT!!

In this scenario I imagine Fitz's agent as the lawyer from the Simpsons ("Dig your own grave and save!!").

 

[abomb]

But, until then, what kind of agent would this guy be if he took the first offer?

This guy?

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[AntSports Steve]

Fitz hired a good agent. Fitz practices and works out. His agent handles the contract situation. Fitz is doing what players should do, play, practice, get ready for the season. His agent is doing what agents do. Work out the best deal for their clients.

This is all normal business.

Don't take it so personally.

I still think no deal gets done this year as it's better for Fitz to wait until next offseason as he will end up with more money.

If a deal does get done, I do NOT think it will help cap space for this year. Why? The Cards can't just give Fitz a huge deal because of the money left on his current contract. They can't go way above the current top WR contact without screwing up the WR contracts for the league as a whole. So, for Fitz to get his money, they Cards would have to propose a buyout for his current contract. The buyout should be equal to the bonus he is getting for making the probowl. Didn't his salary go from $8M to $14M? So that's a $6M bonus and maybe his agent would want some of the 2009 increase also. (The whole point of the inflated salaries was to play him like a probowler for previous years instead of the rookie salary he got). So say they agree on a contract Buyout of $8M. That will count against this years cap. Then, the cards can fairly offer him a WR contact like S.Smiths who got about $11M per year. Make some of that a signing bonus and the salary low the 1st 2 years and Fitz's cap hit is still around $14M this year. End result, Fitz is under contract for 5 more years at a normal top WR rate, but no cap savings this year.

Also, right now Fitz wants a 4 year deal and Cards want 6 years. Compromise by doing 5 years and have the 5th year backloaded forcing the Cards to redo his deal again in 4 years. Fitz ends up getting a 4 year deal, while the Cards and spread his bonus over 5 years. Win - Win.

 

[red desert]

Seems like not everybody feels the delay is on our end

You just can't help it, can you? Defending Graves at every turn. The delay is very much on the Graves. He allowed this poorly written contract (from the team's perspective) to begin with. I absolutely don't blame Fitz and his agent for their stance on the matter. They hold all the cards (pun intended) in this negotiation.