Arizona Cardinals, Larry Fitzgerald agree to new contract
Feb 18, 2015, 5:03 PM | Updated: Feb 19, 2015, 3:20 am
The Arizona Cardinals’ first priority this offseason was restructuring Larry Fitzgerald’s contract.
They can now check that one off the list.
Word came out early Wednesday that Arizona and its leading receiver had agreed to a new contract.
“The two biggest goals for us were pretty simple,” Cardinals GM Steve Keim said from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “Number one, to compensate Larry for the type of player, the type of talent he is and the leader that he is, and then essentially clearing enough salary cap space for us moving forward to be able to be aggressive and proactive when free agency starts.”
Prior to the new contract, Fitzgerald was scheduled to count $23.6 million against Arizona’s 2015 salary cap, which is a number that the team just couldn’t afford if it hoped to make any additions this offseason. So, it was figured if a new deal could not be struck, he would end up being released. This deal, which Keim said is essentially for two years, will reportedly pay Fitzgerald $22 million while freeing up about $13 million in cap space for Arizona.
