He is young and popular and the Cardinals want to keep him, but at the same time they would love to keep their team together -- and maybe make it better.
The receiver's greed won't let that happen.
If the Cardinals were offering a deal that didn't make him the highest-paid receiver, I'd be firmly in Fitzgerald's corner. But this is a bit much.
Parker didn't return a phone call to get his side but it's hard to imagine anything he would say that wouldn't portray Fitzgerald as being unrealistic.
In his first four seasons, Fitzgerald has 330 catches for 4,554 yards and 34 touchdowns. He has two 100-catch seasons, including 100 in 2007 for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Plus, he's only 24, and we know how long receivers can play if they take care of their bodies; Fitzgerald has missed just three starts in four years.
His production is the reason why the Cardinals are in this predicament. And that's a good thing. It means they hit on their player with the third overall pick in the 2004 draft, and he's exceeded expectations, which is why the escalators kicked in to make his salary $14.6 million this season.
"There are not many of the players taken in the top three that actually go on to be two and three-time Pro Bowlers during their rookie contract," Cardinals general manager Rod Graves said. "So Larry has earned the right to be where he is and I think the contract is a good one for us. It recognizes his accomplishments.
"... We also determined that if we should be at this point, we'd be back at the bargaining table to work out a long-term deal that was a little more palatable for the organization."
Graves said the Cardinals would swallow the contract to keep Fitzgerald if that's what it takes. In other words, he isn't going anywhere.
Parker will wise up to this soon enough. He's too good an agent not to understand that. The gut feeling is that Parker will let the Cardinals go into the new league year, which starts Feb. 29, and then work out a new contract. He will make them sweat.
That's all well and good, but by the then the Cardinals may have lost out on chances to sign a player like their own, Pace, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. They might not be able to add any from the marketplace, either, which won't help their team improve.
Is that really worth it to Fitzgerald?
One thing's for certain about these talks: The Cardinals aren't being cheap. That's the old Cardinals. The new Cardinals have the revenue to give out lucrative contracts, and in this case they are more than willing to do so.
