Cheap. Thrifty. Low budget. Tightwads.
The Arizona Cardinals have been called all of that -- and more -- over the years. Much of it has been justified. For years, the Cardinals were an organization that didn't want to spend to be good. Part of it was they couldn't.
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| Fitzgerald in four seasons: 330 catches, 4,554 yards and 34 touchdowns. (US Presswire) |
These aren't the same Cardinals, including at the negotiating table. Which brings us to receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
The Cardinals have put themselves into a tough situation with Fitzgerald, their star player, because he has hit accelerators in his contract that raise his salary to $14.6 million in 2008 and $17.4 million in 2009. Even with the cap at $116 million, that's way too much money for one player.
The Cardinals want to keep Fitzgerald but not at those numbers. They've hinted that they might be forced to release players and won't be able to add new ones in free-agency. They might not be able to re-sign linebacker Calvin Pace, a player they want back.
Fitzgerald's deal doesn't work financially the way it is. But the Cardinals have said they will keep Fitzgerald, no matter what.
So these are the options: Keep him and possibly cut some of his friends to make it happen -- weakening the team in the process -- or give him a new long-term deal. The Cardinals are trying to get the latter done, but so far they've reached no deal.
Fitzgerald has been told this several times. According to sources, he had a sit-down with coach Ken Whisenhunt in which the coach outlined the harsh realities of the situation, that his current number would make it impossible to improve the team.
I'm all for players getting every cent they can. And I don't think what one player does should have an impact on what the rest of the team is doing -- that's up to the organization to make it work -- but in this case, things are a bit out of whack.
Here's why: The Cardinals have offered to make Fitzgerald the highest-paid receiver in the league as well as the highest-paid player in team history. The deal they are offering, according to a team source, would make him the third highest-paid, non-quarterback in the league.
So far, Fitzgerald and agent Eugene Parker have balked at the deal, which is leading to the showdown Friday. The Cardinals have offered Fitzgerald $25 million in guaranteed money, but he wants more than the $32.5 million in guarantees that Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson got last year. But that guaranteed money was paid on a six-year deal. Parker wants more on a four-year deal.
Offering $25 million on four years is not being cheap. How about more like being unrealistic on the part of the player? Is Fitzgerald worth that money? Of course he isn't. But who is? In the current NFL climate, where journeymen free agents will get paid, Fitzgerald deserves a new deal -- just not the outrageous numbers he's seeking.
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.
