Cardinals may already be detaching from Fitzgerald

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PhxRam

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With a revised contract that dropped his 2014 cap number from $18 million to $9 million, Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald ensured that he’d spend another year with the team. The corresponding increase in his 2015 cap number to $23.6 million could make the coming season Fitzgerald’s last season in Arizona.

At the Scouting Combine, Cardinals G.M. Steve Keim admitted that, to an outsider, it may appear that Fitzgerald won’t retire with the Cardinals. For his part, Fitzgerald has said that he’s focused only on 2014.

The Cardinals can’t afford to focus only on 2014. They have a team to run indefinitely into the future, and they need to be thinking about next year even before the current year starts.

In that vein, the Cardinals seem to be already detaching from Fitzgerald, based on a report from veteran NFL writer Dan Pompei. Based on his visit to camp, Pompei notes that “Michael Floyd is in for a big year,” and that “ome people in camp think he’ll be their No. 1 [receiver].”

While that may indeed be a testament to Floyd, the opinion can’t be expressed or considered without acknowledging Fitzgerald and his $23.6 million. Especially with Floyd having a cap number of only $2.7 million in 2014 and $3.172 million in 2015.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/08/14/cardinals-may-already-be-detaching-from-fitzgerald/
 

Mojo Ram

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They're built to WIN NOW...so if that doesn't happen this season(or maybe next season) i don't believe Fitz will be in AZ anymore.

BTW, i like that SF and AZ are built to win now, and Seattle already won theirs so they had to take their FA losses. SF and AZ are getting old quick. We're really the only team in the division(besides maybe Seattle) that is set up to win with longevity IMO.
 

DaveFan'51

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Do you, or anyone, know what the 'Cap hit' is for AZ. if the cut or trade him this year or in 2015?
 

ChrisW

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Do you, or anyone, know what the 'Cap hit' is for AZ. if the cut or trade him this year or in 2015?

Looks like 21mil in dead money this year, and just over 7 mil in dead money next year if he's cut.
 

Warner4Prez

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They're built to WIN NOW...so if that doesn't happen this season(or maybe next season) i don't believe Fitz will be in AZ anymore.

BTW, i like that SF and AZ are built to win now, and Seattle already won theirs so they had to take their FA losses. SF and AZ are getting old quick. We're really the only team in the division(besides maybe Seattle) that is set up to win with longevity IMO.
Yeah, they'll definitely have to blow that mess up next year. The defense will have a gaping hole in the middle (hehe) now that Dansby and Washington are done for. Dockett is old, Mathieu is rehabbing off a terrible knee injury, and I don't know that the offense can overcome all of that. I know there's a lot of buzz about Andre Ellington, but he's far from proven.

I can see a 2015 Arizona team without Campbell, Fitz and Dockett and with Logan Thomas under center.
 

Mojo Ram

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Yeah, they'll definitely have to blow that mess up next year. The defense will have a gaping hole in the middle (hehe) now that Dansby and Washington are done for. Dockett is old, Mathieu is rehabbing off a terrible knee injury, and I don't know that the offense can overcome all of that. I know there's a lot of buzz about Andre Ellington, but he's far from proven.

I can see a 2015 Arizona team without Campbell, Fitz and Dockett and with Logan Thomas under center.
I'm sold on Ellington, but if they try to make him a Gore/Lynch type they're gonna ruin him...and there's no one proven behind him depth-wise.
Don't forget that their best pass rusher is 36 and has been in alcohol rehab the last few weeks. I don't know how to link tweets but this from Cardinal insider:
@MikeJureki
#Hearing John Abraham has been attending rehab, and may not join the team until next week. Abraham was arrested & charged w/ DUI on June 29.

Abraham has now rejoined the team at camp.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...hn-abraham-reports-to-cardinals-training-camp
 

Warner4Prez

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I'm sold on Ellington, but if they try to make him a Gore/Lynch type they're gonna ruin him...and there's no one proven behind him depth-wise.
Don't forget that their best pass rusher is 36 and has been in alcohol rehab the last few weeks. I don't know how to link tweets but this from Cardinal insider:


Abraham has now rejoined the team at camp.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...hn-abraham-reports-to-cardinals-training-camp
Totally forgot they had the ancient John Abraham.
Poor bastard shoulda hung it up after Hotlanta.
 

Mojo Ram

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Totally forgot they had the ancient John Abraham.
Poor bastard shoulda hung it up after Hotlanta.
He had 11.5 sacks last season. Pretty good actually, but yeah, he could tail off very quickly and they didn't draft any pass rushers.
 

Cardncub

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With a revised contract that dropped his 2014 cap number from $18 million to $9 million, Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald ensured that he’d spend another year with the team. The corresponding increase in his 2015 cap number to $23.6 million could make the coming season Fitzgerald’s last season in Arizona.

At the Scouting Combine, Cardinals G.M. Steve Keim admitted that, to an outsider, it may appear that Fitzgerald won’t retire with the Cardinals. For his part, Fitzgerald has said that he’s focused only on 2014.

The Cardinals can’t afford to focus only on 2014. They have a team to run indefinitely into the future, and they need to be thinking about next year even before the current year starts.

In that vein, the Cardinals seem to be already detaching from Fitzgerald, based on a report from veteran NFL writer Dan Pompei. Based on his visit to camp, Pompei notes that “Michael Floyd is in for a big year,” and that “ome people in camp think he’ll be their No. 1 [receiver].”

While that may indeed be a testament to Floyd, the opinion can’t be expressed or considered without acknowledging Fitzgerald and his $23.6 million. Especially with Floyd having a cap number of only $2.7 million in 2014 and $3.172 million in 2015.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/08/14/cardinals-may-already-be-detaching-from-fitzgerald/
They're built to WIN NOW...so if that doesn't happen this season(or maybe next season) i don't believe Fitz will be in AZ anymore.

BTW, i like that SF and AZ are built to win now, and Seattle already won theirs so they had to take their FA losses. SF and AZ are getting old quick. We're really the only team in the division(besides maybe Seattle) that is set up to win with longevity IMO.

Fitzgerald will retire a Cardinal. Fitz knows he is on the decline & is only getting older. He is one of the few players that "gets it". He will restructure next year guaranteed.
 

Cardncub

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Yeah, they'll definitely have to blow that mess up next year. The defense will have a gaping hole in the middle (hehe) now that Dansby and Washington are done for. Dockett is old, Mathieu is rehabbing off a terrible knee injury, and I don't know that the offense can overcome all of that. I know there's a lot of buzz about Andre Ellington, but he's far from proven.

I can see a 2015 Arizona team without Campbell, Fitz and Dockett and with Logan Thomas under center.

Why in the world would Campbell be gone? He just signed a new contract last 2 years ago & is under contract until the end of 2016.
 

CGI_Ram

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Fitzgerald will retire a Cardinal. Fitz knows he is on the decline & is only getting older. He is one of the few players that "gets it". He will restructure next year guaranteed.

I can see him getting a Marshall Faulk like deal, just like the Rams did in 2005 when everyone knew he was done;

In February, 2005, Faulk agreed to a restructured contract to reduce his contract cap number. He was scheduled to make about $7.5 million in 2005. In the new contract received a total of $6 million in the next two seasons and a $2 million signing bonus was included.[17]

In Fitzgerald's case he's not done. But the club could try a soft exit similar to the above mentioned.
 

mr.stlouis

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They're built to WIN NOW...so if that doesn't happen this season(or maybe next season) i don't believe Fitz will be in AZ anymore.

BTW, i like that SF and AZ are built to win now, and Seattle already won theirs so they had to take their FA losses. SF and AZ are getting old quick. We're really the only team in the division(besides maybe Seattle) that is set up to win with longevity IMO.

Tell that to Seahawk fans. They got dynasty on their minds...