More details and opinion on offer to Fitz

[joeshmo]

Maybe I am the only one not really concerned ... Even Fitz at 16.4 Million is not all that bad and if we do want a long term contract I believe the guaranteed salary should be at least 35 million. Also I don't buy into Fitz is killing our cap. We have 102 million spent with Dansby's tag /// with a cap at 123 million. We still have 21 million under the cap so why are we blaming Fitz for our problems. It seems like another ploy not to spend to the cap and or shell out front loaded contracts that make no sense.

The cap max is 116 not 123. It might be 123 next year and that may be where you got that number.

Also we havent given out our RFA tender offers yet. They are due the 28th and that will take a a nice chunk of change of about 5 Mill. Minimum.

 

[joeshmo]

I still think a deal gets done this Thursday or this Friday the day free agency starts. Historically Fitz agent Parker is a last minute deal maker. Same thing happened with his rookie deal, hardest deal the Cards had to do but they got a deal done one minute before training camp. Same thing will happen here.

 

[redheat]

Dont we have enough to keep pace and fitz even if he doesn't resign with room for 2 or 1 more siginings?

 

[ajcardfan]

Dont we have enough to keep pace and fitz even if he doesn't resign with room for 2 or 1 more siginings?

Yes, but they would have to do contracts the "Redskins" way. Lots of bonus, prorated and backloaded.

 

[Duckjake]

Your first paragraph holds no water IMO because we werent handcuffed while trying trying to sign more players last year. This year when we need to try and improve the team and get more depth we are hindered because of Fitz contact. Last year we were not hindered by anything. Holts contract was smart because he didnt pan out and now we got almost 4 mill in cap relief by cutting him

.

But you haven't explained why we had $11 million for Johnson and Holt last year but we don't have $12 million (which is the difference in his cap # between 2007 & 2008) for Fitz this year even after getting back Holts $4million and Johnson's cap # dropping $3.5million and the increase in the salary cap is = to Dansby's increase and we got a million back from BBerry?

The Cards had so much cap space last year they were doing roster bonus deals instead of signing bonuses to use up cap space in '07 and now they're out of money?

I'm still confused. As usual.

 

[Duckjake]

Allowing a player to take up 1/6 of the cap is poor football business logic.

Johnson and Holt took up 1/10th of the cap last year. I'd say he's worth twice as much as those two.

 

[ajcardfan]

.

The Cards had so much cap space last year they were doing roster bonus deals instead of signing bonuses to use up cap space in '07 and now they're out of money?

I'm still confused. As usual.

Well, for the first time, I think i can kind of understand last year's "strategy". You can defend Johnson's and Holt's numbers last year if you say, "We would have had even less space for Fitz and Pace NOW."

However, I still don't buy it. We could've extended both Fitz and Dansby with that cap space last year and used that money on them instead. We still wouldn't have a lot of cap space for new free agents this year. But, I'd prefer that scenarion to this specter of ugly negotiations with Fitz and Dansby that we're looking at now.

 

[HookemCards]

Well, for the first time, I think i can kind of understand last year's "strategy". You can defend Johnson's and Holt's numbers last year if you say, "We would have had even less space for Fitz and Pace NOW."

However, I still don't buy it. We could've extended both Fitz and Dansby with that cap space last year and used that money on them instead. We still wouldn't have a lot of cap space for new free agents this year. But, I'd prefer that scenarion to this specter of ugly negotiations with Fitz and Dansby that we're looking at now.

Using roster bonuses last year instead of signing bonuses has a very minimal effect on this years cap. If we handed out 12 mil in roster bonuses (not sure of actual numbers, just a "for example") last year, to players that signed a total of 6 years, it only adds 2 mil this year if it was signing bonuses instead. The only advantage of doing the roster bonuses is we could cut Holt or Johnson this year with no cap hit. I guess if you don't have much confidence in your player evaluations it makes sense to do contracts this way.

 

[imaCafan]

From Somers today....

For Fitzgerald, the incentive for agreeing to a new deal is guaranteed money. The Cardinals reportedly are offering in excess of $25 million of guarantees over five years. Parker prefers a four-year deal. That would put his client in line for another mega contract before Fitz turned 30.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/KentSomers/18080

 

[Borderrat]

10 posts in 4 years? Welcome back.

Skorp thanks for the welcome back. I am a Cardinals season ticket holder for the last 16 years and I have been reading the Cardinals message board everyday for the last 4 years or so.

I usually just enjoy reading everyone's opinions and getting the Cardinals news from here. But the Fitz contract situation is bad for the team and the fans so I figured I would voice my opinion for a change.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Johnson and Holt took up 1/10th of the cap last year. I'd say he's worth twice as much as those two.

Both will no longer be with the team because of their play doesn't warrant their cost.

 

[CardLogic]

Both will no longer be with the team because of their play doesn't warrant their cost.

Holt's already been given walking papers. But I don't think there is any indication the Cardinals plan on jettisoning Al Johnson. Count on him being the Cardinals starting center again in 2008.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Holt's already been given walking papers. But I don't think there is any indication the Cardinals plan on jettisoning Al Johnson. Count on him being the Cardinals starting center again in 2008.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Holt's already been given walking papers. But I don't think there is any indication the Cardinals plan on jettisoning Al Johnson. Count on him being the Cardinals starting center again in 2008.

Oops, my bad, assumed we were talking about BJ. Johnson earned his though.

That whole comment made no sense IMO. How does our starting center making 1/20 of our SC justify paying a WR who has less impact on the game 1/6 of the cap???????????

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Oops, my bad, assumed we were talking about BJ. Johnson earned his though.

That whole comment made no sense IMO. How does our starting center making 1/20 of our SC justify paying a WR who has less impact on the game 1/6 of the cap???????????

Because Al Johnson is no where near the player that Fitz is. If Al Johnson was a top 5, probowl center, with the chance to get better, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

If THAT contract, (and others) wasn't structured to pay all of its money up front, they may have been able to renegotiate Fitz last year.

 

[Duckjake]

Oops, my bad, assumed we were talking about BJ. Johnson earned his though.

That whole comment made no sense IMO. How does our starting center making 1/20 of our SC justify paying a WR who has less impact on the game 1/6 of the cap???????????

Who said paying our starting Center 1/20th of our cap justified paying Fitz 1/6th of the cap?

The Cards paid Al Johnson and Holt 10% of our cap last year. Holt being gone doesn't change that fact.