More details and opinion on offer to Fitz

[red desert]

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

Ya think?

 

[WildBB]

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.

YEAHAH! A voice in the wilderness cries out. Win Win.

 

[dogpoo32]

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.

I'm just tired of this issue. I don't think he is worth that kind of money, no one is. The problem is, Fitz is in the drivers' seat. The only bargaining chip the Cards have is money. Other teams can guarantee playoff appearances. I would obviously much rather have a playoff team. If Fitz's deal isn't redone, how competitive will we be this year? Without a decent FA period and losing Pace?

 

[red desert]

I can think of only one: Washington

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

Unless the buyer is Daniel Snyder.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Ya think?

I know. Insightful, isn't it...

 

[joeshmo]

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.

Very good points. Also the article stated that he hasnt even talked to the agent for the article so how does he know what the numbers are? I mean we know the Cards dont use the media to negotiate right.

I say good for them that they are finally doing it, and the reason why like you stated the media has started to change their minds on them.

One more thing to consider. If you believe the comment that "we offered him the highest WR contract ever", then you must believe that we offered him a 100Mill contract. Becuase that is the biggest WR contract ever, 8 years at 100 Mill. to Randy Moss back in 2001 I think it was.

 

[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.

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

I will just disagree with you.

I don't think that we disagree so much as you think. What I am saying is the Fitz will probaly get more then 25 mil guaranteed, but you don't get all that your first year unless it's a signing bonus. And I don't believe that anyone will give him 25 mil up front.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I don't think that we disagree so much as you think. What I am saying is the Fitz will probaly get more then 25 mil guaranteed, but you don't get all that your first year unless it's a signing bonus. And I don't believe that anyone will give him 25 mil up front.

If Fitz signs the deal next year, someone (Dallas, Washington, Minnesota) would gladly offer Fitz 25M up front.

 

[WisconsinCard]

If Fitz signs the deal next year, someone (Dallas, Washington, Minnesota) would gladly offer Fitz 25M up front.

Well then thats where we disagree, and if they did the contract would be for more than four year.

 

[joeshmo]

If Fitz signs the deal next year, someone (Dallas, Washington, Minnesota) would gladly offer Fitz 25M up front.

Without a doubt. Especially after Moss signs his new deal, and the cap goes up another 6-8 Mill.

 

[john h]

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

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

I must agree with you. No receiver is worth what he wants. We made this contract. Were we stupid or what? As long as the monster contract hangs over our head we will not be able to improve. No one wants to lose Fitz but there is a breaking point and it has been reached. Do we want an improving team or one the top 3 receivers in the NFL who is stalling our improvement?

 

[WildBB]

I must agree with you. No receiver is worth what he wants. We made this contract. Were we stupid or what? As long as the monster contract hangs over our head we will not be able to improve. No one wants to lose Fitz but there is a breaking point and it has been reached. Do we want an improving team or one the top 3 receivers in the NFL who is stalling our improvement?

Graves said that the reason for that structure of contract on the rookie deal was to induce the sides to re-negotiate after FOUR YEARS, if Fitz hit all the accelorators in the original contract. Which he did.

Thing is does he wan't to now. Maybe. Does the agent???

 

[ajcardfan]

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.

That's how it happened with a lot of the Cards draft picks. But, not Fitz. He signed one day into camp.

 

[ajcardfan]

.

This is all normal business.

Don't take it so personally.

 

[Shane]

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.

You are grossly overstating the leverage tha Fitz has. He may be on the hook for 17 mill and 14 mill respectively over the next two years. However neither of those figures are guaranteed.

We hear of players getting hurt pretty bad in non-football related injuries all of the time. One bad car wreck in the off season and he is screwed. The odds arent that slim that something like that could happen.

He has many many reasons to get this deal done now. Non-football injury concerns is one of them.

Next year they are already talking about the possability of a strike as well. How bad do you think that would affect negotiations? Pretty damned bad IMO. The NFL will not go into an uncapped year. So anyone saying that he should just wait for that is silly. The owners wont let it happen.

 

[Stout]

Steve, there is no such thing as a buyout on NFL contracts, IIRC. If he agrees to a NEW deal, his current contract is ripped up and a new one is signed. I hope I'm not misrepresenting what you're saying, because all this contract information is confusing!

 

[Skkorpion]

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.

10 posts in 4 years? Welcome back.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

You are grossly overstating the leverage tha Fitz has. He may be on the hook for 17 mill and 14 mill respectively over the next two years. However neither of those figures are guaranteed.

We hear of players getting hurt pretty bad in non-football related injuries all of the time. One bad car wreck in the off season and he is screwed. The odds arent that slim that something like that could happen.

He has many many reasons to get this deal done now. Non-football injury concerns is one of them.

Next year they are already talking about the possability of a strike as well. How bad do you think that would affect negotiations? Pretty damned bad IMO. The NFL will not go into an uncapped year. So anyone saying that he should just wait for that is silly. The owners wont let it happen.

This year, or next year, however you want to look at it is "semi-guaranteed." Graves has said that he plans on paying it. Yes, injuries could happen, and he could lose out if he is injured. If I were Boldin in Fitzgerald's position, I would see less leverage, as Boldin has been injured more throughout his career than Fitz.

The front office has much more "incentive" to get it done more than Fitz does. If they wouldn't have tipped their hand, claiming that they wouldn't cut him, then I'd be more included to agree with you.

 

[red desert]

Graves said that the reason for that structure of contract on the rookie deal was to induce the sides to re-negotiate after FOUR YEARS, if Fitz hit all the accelorators in the original contract. Which he did.

Thing is does he wan't to now. Maybe. Does the agent???

Well then Graves is an idiot. Sorry for the strong words, but he really is.

If you want to structure a contract to induce both sides to re-negotiate after four years, then you don't draw it up it with such way where one side is holding all the leverage after year four.

The pro bowl incentives were not "out there" enough to be commensurate with the amount of signing bonus.

What I mean is:

- we draft Fitz, the best WR to come along in a decade in the number three slot;
- Fitz is stepping into a "pass-first" offensive
- he has blossoming star on the other side of the line so as not allow defenses' best db to focus in on him
- Denny Green, our coach at the time the contract is signed) just happens to have a longstanding relationship with the kid's family (i.e. Green is gonna structure his offense around the kid)
- did i mention that Fitz is stepping into a "pass happy" offense?

I don't think the structuring of Fitz's contract is one of Graves's brightest moments. In doing so, the Cardinals were essentially betting against themselves.

 

[Shane]

This year, or next year, however you want to look at it is "semi-guaranteed." Graves has said that he plans on paying it. Yes, injuries could happen, and he could lose out if he is injured. If I were Boldin in Fitzgerald's position, I would see less leverage, as Boldin has been injured more throughout his career than Fitz.

The front office has much more "incentive" to get it done more than Fitz does. If they wouldn't have tipped their hand, claiming that they wouldn't cut him, then I'd be more included to agree with you.

Doesnt matter what Graves said. The team could always change their minds. Free will is a great thing. They arent handcuffed into keeping him. They could trade him and get arguably more for him that would improve this team in the long run than what Fitz would provide.

Everyday he drives to and from work without his contract redone he is risking millions of dollars. He has EVERY BIT if not more at stake then the team does in this.

His salary isnt even "semi-guaranteed"

 

[Shane]

Well then Graves is an idiot. Sorry for the strong words, but he really is.

If you want to structure a contract to induce both sides to re-negotiate after four years, then you don't draft it with such way where one side is holding all the leverage.

No matter how many time you spew that BS Fitz isnt holding all the leverage.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Doesnt matter what Graves said. The team could always change their minds. Free will is a great thing. They arent handcuffed into keeping him. They could trade him and get arguably more for him that would improve this team long run than what Fitz would provide.

Everyday he drives to and from work without his contract redone he is risking millions of dollars. He has EVERY BIT if not more at stake then the team does in this.

His salary isnt even "semi-guaranteed"

I'll stand by my semi-guaranteed statement. I don't see how there is any way that they can justify a 11M cap number for Al Johnson and Terrence freaking Holt last year, but 14.6M is somehow too much to have to worry about.... not buying it.

I can pretty much guarantee that Fitzgerald does not get cut. Traded, maybe. Not cut. I can say this confidently, with no insider knowledge into the Cards front office.

We can "semi-disagree" on this one.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

No matter how many time you spew that BS Fitz isnt holding all the leverage.

I don't think that he holds it all, just more than the front office.

 

[Stout]

I'll stand by my semi-guaranteed statement. I don't see how there is any way that they can justify a 11M cap number for Al Johnson and Terrence freaking Holt last year, but 14.6M is somehow too much to have to worry about.... not buying it.

I can pretty much guarantee that Fitzgerald does not get cut. Traded, maybe. Not cut. I can say this confidently, with no insider knowledge into the Cards front office.

We can "semi-disagree" on this one.

Fitz's cap figure is almost 17 million dollars, folks. We need to realize that 14.6 number being thrown around is just salary. There's still a few million in bonus that counts towards his figure for this year too. And yes, nearly 17 million IS too much to worry about.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Fitz's cap figure is almost 17 million dollars, folks. We need to realize that 14.6 number being thrown around is just salary. There's still a few million in bonus that counts towards his figure for this year too. And yes, nearly 17 million IS too much to worry about.

I thought 14.6M is his cap figure? The 17M is next year's figure.