Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic wrote Wednesday that new Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is taking some drastic measures to ensure Larry Fitzgerald once again becomes the centerpiece for the Cardinal offense in 2013.
Arians is reportedly working out Fitzgerald at more than just the primary “X” receiver position, but also as the “Z” and slot positions as well. The goal is to get Fitzgerald lined up against different match-ups across the field, which could prove beneficial to his impact.
“They don’t like for you to come in and think, ‘Oh, it’s just another day at the office,’ ” Fitzgerald said. “No, that’s not how it is. It’s like being in a cold tub every morning. They push you in there, and it’s like a shock to the body.”
The goal is to not to make Fitzgerald feel uncomfortable playing different positions, but rather make him think even more but having him learn different routes in different formations.
Fitzgerald recalled a scenario where, “we go on the field and (receivers coach Darryl Drake) says, ‘You are playing ‘F’ in two-minute.’ And I had not looked at any ‘F’ stuff.
“He took all my confidence from me. All I could think about throughout the whole practice was ‘Shoot, I’m not really comfortable.’ It was bothering me the whole day.”
Fitzgerald concluded by calling the thought process “extremely creative,” despite the created tension.
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