Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will continue his NFL career through at least 2017, according to Jim Trotter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As of early this week, Arizona was still unsure if Fitzgerald would return next year, but those concerns have now been alleviated.
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Fitzgerald’s retirement status has been a subject of conversation since the 2016 season began, while the Cardinals are also waiting on an official word from quarterback Carson Palmer, who is also thought to be contemplating the end of his career. Extended on the same day last season, Fitzgerald and Palmer are signed through 2017 and 2018, respectively. As such, the 33-year-old Fitzgerald is scheduled to earn a base salary of $11MM next season, though that figure is guaranteed for injury only.
The return of Fitzgerald, who’s been with the Cardinals since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2004, will add stability to Arizona’s wide receiver corps, and the club’s offense as a whole. At present, Fitzgerald tops a WR unit that also includes John Brown, Jaron Brown, and J.J. Nelson. Although the Cardinals’ offense now revolves around running back David Johnson, the return of Fitzgerald could further entice Palmer to return in 2017, especially given that it was Palmer who was attempting to convince Fitzgerald to keep playing earlier this offseason.
In his 13th NFL season, Fitzgerald once again posted elite production, leading the league in receptions (107) while acting primarily as a slot receiver. While his yards per reception hit an all-time low, Fitzgerald put up 100 catches for the second consecutive year, serving as something of a glorified tight end (who excels at blocking) in Bruce Arians‘ offense.
From a historical perspective, Fitzgerald doesn’t have much else to prove, as he already ranks second in NFL history with 1,125 receptions, eighth in receiving yards (14,389), and sixth in receiving touchdowns (104). The last remaining goal, then, is a Super Bowl victory, which would only cap Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame career.
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Well, Fitzgerald is still under contract for one more year and I highly doubt that his numbers could go up playing with Flacco as opposed to Palmer.