Cardinals Have Not Discussed Trading WR Larry Fitzgerald

October 28, 2013

Update:

On Sunday, reports indicated that the Arizona Cardinals would at least consider the idea of trading WR Larry Fitzgerald at some point this offseason. This led to speculation that he could possibly be available before the deadline.

Cardinals GM Steve Keim did his best to shoot down that idea.

“I have not had one conversation regarding a trade with Larry Fitzgerald,” Keim told AZSports620. “We have every intent to have Larry Fitzgerald retire as a Cardinal. Period.”

Fitzgerald told reporters that he wasn’t aware of this being an option.

“I don’t know,” Fitzgerald said, via the Arizona Republic. “I come to work every day and just focus on how I can help the Arizona Cardinals and help my team win. If they decide to move me, that happens. I have no control over any of that. I’m just focus on what I can do to improve and help my team.”

Fitzgerald, 30, has essentially been wasting away in Arizona since Kurt Warner retired. He signed a massive eight-year extension with the Cardinals in 2011 worth 128.5 million which includes $50 million guaranteed. He’ll be under contract through the 2018 season and will make $12.75 million next year.

Even though there would probably be a good deal of interest in Fitzgerald, it would still be hard to work out a trade due to his contract and the amount of dead money Arizona would take on by moving him.

We’ll have more regarding a potential Fitzgerald trade as the news is available.

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ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that trading WR Larry Fitzgerald this offseason “will be in play” for the Arizona Cardinals.

Schefter mentions that sources “believe a divorce is somewhere between possible and inevitable.”
According to Schefter, a trade before next week’s deadline is unlikely to happen.

It would make sense for the Cardinals to see what they can get Fitzgerald, but his huge contract figures could end up being an impeding factor. Previous speculation had the Vikings as a potential landing spot seeing as Fitzgerald grew up in Minnesota as a fan of the team, but adding Greg Jennings and drafting Cordarrelle Patterson may prevent them from exploring a trade for Larry.