President Michael Bidwill is confident in the Cardinals’ future
Jan 23, 2018, 3:18 PM
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Following the introduction of Steve Wilks as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, questions remain about whether Larry Fitzgerald will retire or return, and who will become the team’s next starting quarterback.
While fans nervously await the answers, team president Michael Bidwill has appeared calm.
“Everybody needs to relax … Let’s just let Larry be Larry,” Bidwill told Bickley & Marotta on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station Tuesday. “I’m not going to rush him on that.”
Fitzgerald’s decision is up the air, but quarterback Carson Palmer called it a career after the 2017 season, leaving the Cardinals with a void to fill under center. Arizona backup quarterbacks Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert are slated to be unrestricted free agents this offseason.
It’s not the first time the Cardinals have been in the market for a quarterback, and Bidwill finds his team in a similar situation to the one it was in before the 2013 season. Arizona had just fired coach Ken Whisenhunt and had four quarterbacks play the season prior.
Looking to establish stability, Bruce Arians was hired and Palmer was acquired in a trade with the Oakland Raiders.
“We’re gonna be aggressive, we’ve done it before. Five years ago we were sitting here,” Bidwill told Bickley & Marotta. “We’ve got cap space, we’ve got the ability to either move up or move back, whatever we want to do.”
With the hire of Wilks, it is expected that the head coach will have a role in deciding the next quarterback of the team.
That, Bidwill believes, was appealing to Wilks.
“This is an opportunity. You have a seat at the table to sit here and help us make the decision. You’re gonna be, in many parts, leading the decision of where we end up,” Bidwill told Bickley & Marotta. “Steve will have a major voice in it, so to me I think it’s a really attractive thing. But, don’t ask me about it, ask Steve Wilks about it.”
