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Larry Fitzgerald

Extra Points: Goldson, Cowboys, Draft, Titans

November 14th, 2014 at 9:23pm CST by Rob DiRe

As free agency and cap management is becoming more notable in teambuilding, Kevin Seifert of ESPN takes a closer look at six of the league’s most inflated contracts and the effects they are having on their team’s roster. He dissects the contracts of Jay Cutler, Ndamukong Suh, Joe Flacco, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Tony Romo, and how each team will likely deal with the large cap numbers going forward.

Here are some other notes from around the NFL:

  • The Buccaneers put together one of the most high profile secondaries out of nowhere before the 2013 season, signing Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson and drafting Mark Barron at the top of the first round. Not long after, Revis was released and Barron was traded, leaving only Goldson on the roster, and he may be the next to go, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Goldson has played less as the season goes on, and with large money attached to his contract, the team may choose to go younger and cheaper at the safety position.
  • Much has been made of the Cowboys as they approach their decision on what to do with offensive stars Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, with many pundits and fans expecting long-term extensions for both. Murray also seems like an obvious franchise tag candidate, but Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News could see the Cowboys surprising us and rewarding Murray with the long-term deal while franchising Bryant at the higher tag price.
  • Although the 2015 NFL draft order has not even been set, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay of ESPN are already working hard to evaluate both the prospects available as well as the needs of NFL teams. They look at the possibility teams like the Raiders, Jets, Buccaneers, and Titans would take a quarterback such as Marcus Mariota of Oregon or Jameis Winston of Florida State at the top of the draft, and look at other questions surrounding the draft.
  • The Titans may be in position to draft high at the top of the first round, but in no way will that be on purpose, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. “It is ludicrous to me. Fans don’t understand the situation we go through as players,” said tight end Delanie Walker. “No one wants to lose games for better picks. It just doesn’t happen. It would never happen. Just the thought is ludicrous.”

NFC Mailbags: Fitzgerald, Suh, Murray

October 4th, 2014 at 10:43am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN’s writers. Let’s start off with notes from the NFC…

NFC West Notes: Cards, Abraham, Bowie

August 14th, 2014 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report observing (via Twitter) that some people in Cardinals camp believe Michael Floyd will be the team’s No. 1 receiver, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Arizona is already “detaching” from Larry Fitzgerald. An offseason contract restructure means Fitzgerald will carry a $23.6MM in 2015, meaning the Cardinals may be forced to part ways with the veteran wideout — such a move may be a little easier for the club to swallow if Floyd is truly on the verge of becoming a top option.

Here’s more on the Cards and a couple of their division rivals:

  • After being absent from training camp for nearly three weeks, veteran outside linebacker John Abraham reported to the Cardinals today, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Arizona GM Steve Keim declined to comment on Wednesday about the reason for Abraham’s absence, which has so far been undisclosed.
  • Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable wasn’t overly pleased that the Browns – and multiple other teams – placed waiver claims on former Seattle lineman Michael Bowie when the ‘Hawks cut him with an injured designation earlier this month. Cable said on 710 ESPN Seattle on Wednesday (link via Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle) that it’s “kind of an unwritten rule” not to poach another team’s injured players when they pass through waivers. “Typically when you waive someone injured, they kind of get through and you’re going to get them back, fix them and move on,” Cable said. “Cleveland chose to take him, and whether you agree with it or not, I guess that’s business.”
  • Colin Kaepernick‘s extension with the 49ers is one recent example of how teams continue to have all the long-term leverage in contract talks, with players continuing to cede control, writes former Packers executive Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com.

Is 2014 Fitzgerald’s Last Season In Arizona?

July 27th, 2014 at 11:39am CST by Rory Parks

Kent Somers of AZCentral.com writes that 2014 may be star wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald‘s last season with the Cardinals. Somers notes that Fitzgerald’s salary cap figure jumps from $15MM in 2014 to $23.6MM in 2015, a number that could represent as much as one-fifth of the team’s entire cap. Citing Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, Somers adds that the Cardinals already have $135MM committed to the 2015 cap, and that number does not include a quarterback (Carson Palmer‘s contract voids five days after the 2014 Super Bowl).

The Arizona front office has expressed a desire to keep Fitzgerald in a Cardinals uniform for the rest of his career, but if Fitzgerald himself feels the same way–and he says he does–he would probably have to agree to restructure his current deal and accept a contract with an average annual value of $6MM to $8MM. Otherwise, he could be traded or released, but those options come with their own set of problems.

A release of Fitzgerald would save the Cardinals $9.2MM of cap room, but it would also force the team to take a hit of $14.4MM. However, a release is still more likely than a trade. As Jason Fitzgerald observes, “[Larry] Fitzgerald is set to earn $16.25 million and $15.25 million in 2015 and 2016 respectively, highest in the NFL over the two-year period. For someone who would be a 32-year-old receiver who has not produced a 1,000-yard season since 2011, no team would likely even consider paying close to that number.” Furthermore, Larry Fitzgerald is owed an $8MM roster bonus in March 2015, which means Arizona would have limited time to trade him.

Of course, there are also the on-field ramifications to consider. Fitzgerald will be on the wrong side of 30 in August, and although Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) rated him as the 11th best receiver in 2013 (out of 111 eligible receivers), his days as a true No. 1 wideout are probably limited. If he performs well in 2014, he retains a fair amount of leverage, but if he shows signs of aging–or if players like Michael Floyd should take the next step–that leverage obviously takes a hit. If the Cardinals as a team show that they are still lagging behind the Seahawks and 49ers in the loaded NFC West, then Fitzgerald may want to move on to a club with more realistic championship hopes.

Fitzgerald has always been the consummate professional. An eight-time Pro Bowler, he may well be the best player in franchise history, is probably Canton-bound when his playing days are over, and has been a consistent and positive presence in the community. As the Cardinals look to improve on last season’s 10-6 mark that was still not good enough to get into the playoffs, thoughts about his contract are not a hot topic of conversation just yet. But they will be soon, and Cardinals fans will surely want to savor watching Fitzgerald in 2014, just in case.

NFC West Links: Lynch, Fitzgerald, Hunter

July 25th, 2014 at 9:45pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s hard to imagine a head coach being in a good mood when their star player decides to hold out, and Pete Carroll certainly confirms that notion. The Super Bowl-winning coach was asked about Marshawn Lynch‘s decision to skip Seahawks training camp and gave an honest (albeit snarky) answer.

“It’s a contract for a reason. We made a decision and it was signed, by us and by them,” Carroll told USA Today Sports’ Tom Pelissero. “We expect them to honor their contract just as we will. We’re going to honor it and we expect them to do the same.

“We’ve had a big plan for a long time working here, and Marshawn is a huge part of that plan, and we made a huge commitment to him a couple years ago. He remains a big part of that plan – if he’ll show up. The same thing will carry over to Doug (Baldwin) and Richard (Sherman) and Earl (Thomas) and Kam (Chancellor) and all of the guys that have signed with us.

“He’s got his own mind on this. We’ve communicated quite a bit, and I know where he is on it and we just have to see what happens.”

Lynch originally signed a four-year, $30MM deal in 2012 and the contract’s average annual value is among the top-six in the league.

Now, for some more NFC West notes…

  • In a series of tweets, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen suggests that Lynch could lose a portion of his signing bonus if he misses the first six days of camp. If the Seahawks star decides to miss the first 11 games and the preseason opener, Mortensen estimates Lynch could give up more than $624K (based on CBA’s $30K daily fine and $294K penalty for missed preseason game).
  • Cardinals team president Michael Bidwell was clear that he wants franchise receiver Larry Fitzgerald to spend the rest of his career in Arizona. “Our intent all along is to have Larry retire as an Arizona Cardinal,” he said (via AZCentral.com). “He’s been a great player on the field, a great person in the community, and a great ambassador not only for the Cardinals and the National Football League but also for the state of Arizona. We’ve worked hard to keep him a Cardinal, we’re going to keep him a Cardinal, and we intend to have him retire as a Cardinal.” 
  • 49ers running back Kendall Hunter was hurt during practice today, and ESPN’s Ed Werder tweets that the organization is “concerned” about the injury. The source indicated that the seriousness of the injury wasn’t known but the team “didn’t like way it looked.” If the injury proves to be serious, LaMichael James‘ chances of making the roster will certainly improve.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Lee, Jaguars, Bengals, Fitzgerald

July 10th, 2014 at 9:27pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL teams split an eye-popping $6 billion in revenue last season, writes ESPN.com’s Darrel Rovell, who figured out the total number by looking into the Packers’ financials. That money was divided equally among all 32 teams. The national revenue dollars the Packers and the rest of the league’s teams have received continue to climb over the years, with the total pie up 56 percent, factoring for inflation, since 2006. The most significant jump will happen next season, as new television deals with each of the league’s partners, along with the new CBS Thursday Night package, pushes the league’s media revenue from the networks alone to an average of more than $5 billion a season. More from around the NFL..

  • Jaguars second-round pick Marqise Lee is only four of 256 draft picks who are unsigned and Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida-Times Union wonders why. Lee’s contract is slotted at a total value of $5.174MM over four years, including a $2MM signing bonus. A veteran agent tells O’Halloran that if agent Andrew Kessler of Athletes First is holding out for an un-slotted deal is wasting his time. Kessler could be holding out for workout money, but that would only be a disparity of $2-3K and that shouldn’t hold up a deal.
  • More from O’Halloran, who writes that of the 17 undrafted rookies on the Jaguars‘ roster, there are two that stand out above the rest. Wide receiver Allen Hums has made a strong impression on coaches in the wake of injuries to others at the position. Tight end Marcel Jensen, meanwhile, has healed nicely from sports hernia surgery and is making a strong case to be on the roster.
  • Andy Dalton is still trying to figure out a new deal with the Bengals and star wide receiver A.J. Green doesn’t want to work with any other quarterback, writes Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “We came in together and that is the great thing for me and him,” Green said. “I know he’s my guy. I don’t want any other quarterback throwing me the ball. I think he feels the same way about me.”
  • The Patriots need a big target like Andre Johnson, writes CSNNE.com’s Jimmy Toscano. Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, Kenbrell Thompkins, and the rest can’t be counted on to stretch the field in 2014.
  • There was plenty of speculation, but Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald didn’t hear anything about the Patriots making a run for him at the trade deadline, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “[I heard] nothing at all. I mean, I heard stuff that was being said. But there was never a time where the team approached me. Nothing like that,” said the wide receiver, who is friendly with quarterback Tom Brady.
  • The NFL will name former Vikings and Ravens center Matt Birk as its director of football development, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Birk will work with players, coaches, and front office execs.

NFC West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Cardinals

March 3rd, 2014 at 5:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Michael Bennett took to SiriusXM NFL Radio and talked to hosts Bruce Murray and Rich Gannon about his future with Seahawks, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. The defensive end revealed that discussions “have been positive,” adding that the team wants him “to be a Seahawk for the rest of (his) career.”

While it certainly sounds like the Seahawks will bring back their defensive end, Bennett admitted that his brother, Martellus Bennett, is still trying to recruit him to come to the Bears. The Bears would have to “open up their wallet” for that to happen, Bennett said.

Let’s take a look at what else is happening around the NFC West…

  • The 49ers did not use their franchise tag on Monday, but could use it next season, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com says. Colin Kaepernick, Michael Crabtree and Aldon Smith are entering the final season of their contracts and could be tagged next offseason.
  • Considering the safety’s connection to St. Louis, Jairus Byrd could potentially be a target of the Rams, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Byrd played high school football near St. Louis, and Wagoner believes the prospective free agent would be a great fit for the team. Still, the writer thinks it’s unlikely the Rams would dish out the kind of money that would be required for Byrd’s services.
  • Larry Fitzgerald acknowledged that the restructuring of his contract should allow the Cardinals to re-sign some key free agents, like Karlos Dansby and Patrick Peterson. One interesting name that the receiver also brought up was Frostee Rucker, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. Fitzgerald said, “Some guys have gaudy numbers. I know his numbers weren’t crazy high. In terms of locker room guy, you can’t ask for a better teammate.”

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals

March 2nd, 2014 at 9:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jim Harbaugh saga continues. Today we learned that some 49ers players may be getting sick of their head coach. Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that “Harbaugh’s act has worn thin in the locker room, particularly among some key “face of the 49ers” type players.” As Killion points out, this information comes close to a week before free agency is set to open. Harbaugh had been reportedly discussed in a potential deal between the 49ers and Browns.

Now, for more news around the NFC West…

  • The Seahawks will not offer the franchise tag to Steven Hauschka, tweets Tom Pelissero of the USA Today. Pelissero mentions that he thought the team might be tempted to use the tag on the journeyman kicker.
  • The Rams have three quarterbacks without contracts and may be looking for two backups for next season, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. Wagoner believes the team will go with a rookie and a veteran, and thinks that Kellen Clemens is likely to return. He also mentions Mark Sanchez as a possibility, pointing out the connection between Sanchez and Rams’ offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
  • As the salary cap continues to grow, so do the chances that Larry Fitzgerald stays with the Cardinals beyond 2014, writes Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com.Weinfuss hypothesizes that if the cap increases to north of $140MM, there may be another restructuring of Fitzgerald’s contract that would be more manageable for the team.

NFC Notes: Nelson, Tuck, Fitzgerald, Mangini

February 20th, 2014 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve already published posts on the Vikings, Bears, and Cowboys so far today, but even after rounding up a few team-centric updates, there are still several more notes to pass along on NFC teams. Here’s the latest:

  • While there will be plenty of items on the Packers‘ to-do list this offseason, locking up wide receiver Jordy Nelson to an extension is expected to be near the top of that list, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • There are plenty of notable names among this year’s free agent class of defensive ends, but Justin Tuck’s agent tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com that he believes his client is the best all-around player of the bunch. “Justin is by far the most complete d-end in the class,” agent Doug Hendrickson said of the longtime Giant. “He can play the 4-3, he can play the 3-4. He obviously had an incredible season last year with every stat he had with the tackles, tackles for loss, the hurries and the sacks. They were up there with the upper-echelon defensive linemen.”
  • Asked about a report last month that suggested the Patriots were mulling a Larry Fitzgerald trade last year, Cardinals GM Steve Keim said of the rumor, “I was looking for someone to fire because [the Patriots] never called me” (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). That initial report suggested that the Pats’ talks didn’t get very far, so it sounds like they were just internal discussions.
  • Former defensive specialist Eric Mangini will be the 49ers’ tight ends coach in 2014, the team confirmed today. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee was the first to report Mangini’s new role.
  • Cornerback figures to be one of the most important positions for the Eagles to address this offseason, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer, exploring some potential options for the team.
  • Offensive lineman Gabe Carimi, who was released by the Buccaneers earlier this month, admitted in an appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio that he was surprised by the move. However, the early cut gave Carimi to test the market ahead of the free agent period. While he had planned to work out for the Bengals and some other teams, the ex-Bear landed with the Falcons this week (Twitter links via Alex Marvez of FOX Sports).

Larry Fitzgerald Restructures Contract

February 4th, 2014 at 6:40pm CST by Luke Adams

6:40pm: Fitzgerald converted $11.75MM of his $12.75MM deal into a bonus, saving Arizona about $9.4MM against the salary cap, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network.

5:40pm: Fitzgerald’s deal is a simple restructuring that converted part of his salary to a bonus, two NFL sources tell Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). Somers figures that the move will give the Cards about $10MM in space.

4:04pm: Larry Fitzgerald said last week that he’d be open to the possibility of restructuring his contract, and it didn’t take him long to back up those comments. Fitzgerald sent out a tweet today announcing that his “first order of business” upon returning to Arizona after the Super Bowl was to sign a reworked deal to help improve the Cardinals’ flexibility for 2014. Though specific numbers aren’t yet known, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com confirms that the star receiver has officially restructured his contract.

Fitzgerald, who was set to enter the fourth year of the eight-year extension he signed with the Cardinals back in 2011, had been slated to earn a base salary of $12.75MM this year, with bonuses bringing his total cap number to $18MM. Assuming the 30-year-old didn’t accept a pay cut, the simplest way for the Cardinals to create cap space for 2014 would involve converting most of his base salary to a bonus that can be spread across the remaining five years on the deal. Such an agreement would increase the amount of guaranteed money owed to Fitzgerald, and increase his cap number in the contract’s later years. We’ll have to wait for the actual figures to be reported, but by my calculations, Arizona could create up to about $9MM in 2014 cap room in the move.

Given how quickly the Cardinals and Fitzgerald reached an agreement, it seems as if the two sides are committed to continuing the relationship, which should quiet trade rumors for now. A recent report suggested that the Patriots contemplated the idea of pursuing Fitzgerald in a trade last offseason, but now that the Cards have reduced his cap number, Arizona is no longer under any immediate pressure to move him. Of course, by putting off their financial commitments to Fitzgerald, the Cardinals will eventually face a similar cap crunch, perhaps as soon as next season, when his cap number was already projected to be over $21MM.

For now though, with their newfound cap flexibility, the Cardinals can turn their attention to retaining some of their prospective free agents, which includes a list of 15 players headed for unrestricted free agency. The team also figures to discuss a long-term deal for Patrick Peterson, who is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason.

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