The Arizona Cardinals and Larry Fitzgerald could be headed for a split this offseason and the trade or release of the wide receiver could be an option due to his contract and if that happens, the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks and Raiders could be interested in acquiring him.
Fitzgerald has been one of the best wide receivers in the NFL during his career, but at 31 years old, the Cardinals want to get his cap number down into the 2015 season. According to Pro Football Talk, the two sides have been discussing a deal, but so far they have not been able to come to an agreement. Fox Sports Arizona reported earlier in the offseason that sources said that Fitzgerald would not take a pay cut this year, but later there were reports of "positive progress" in the talks.
The two sides could be farther apart now, as Cardinals president Michael Bidwill was on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM and said that it "takes two to come to an agreement" on a deal. Fitzgerald is making $16 million next season and counts for over $20 million on the cap and that is the main reason why the team wants to lower that number. While Fitzgerald has been great for the time he has been in Arizona, he has had his production drop over the past three seasons.
Earlier in the season, Josh Weinfuss wrote that Fitzgerald likely would have to take a pay cut to remain in Arizona past 2014. Weinfuss had one league exec saying that the cap number was "unmanageable" foe the Cardinals and that if he doesn't take a pay cut, he could be released. Fitzgerald is 31 years old and while he led the team in receiving, he put up some of his lowest numbers in his career. Part of that was due to injuries at the QB position to Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, but his numbers have gone down considerably over the last few years.
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians has said that he "desperately" wants Fitzgerald to stay and added that "it's his decision", referring to the wide receiver. Fitzgerald's cap hit is an ungodly $23 million and that is just too much for a team with over 10 free agents. ESPN Boston reported that if Fitzgerald is let go, the Patriots would have heavy interest in him. The Vikings and Raiders also could make runs at home. Fitzgerald has an $8 million roster bonus in March and that could be the deadline for the team to decide on his status.
During the first stretch of his career, Fitzgerald was as good as anyone in the league, putting up at least 1000 yards in six of his first eight seasons. Fitzgerald had over 95 catches in four of those seasons and put up a stretch of three years when he had 35 touchdowns combined. Fitzgerald has been a durable player, missing just two games this season and those games were the only ones he had missed since back in 2007. But Fitzgerald has not been over 1000 yards in three years and his last 90-plus catch season was in 2009. Fitzgerald finished this year with 63 catches for 784 yards, his lowest totals since the early days of his career.