Arizona Cardinals and Fitzgerald: Why Larry Will Still Be a Cardinal in 2012

This just in: the Arizona Cardinals' irreplaceable, once-in-a-generation talent, Larry Fitzgerald, has a contract that expires at the end of this season.

Okay, so it's not such breaking news.  However, as the Cardinals are attempting to extend his contract, a new piece of news has spread around most major networks: there is a clause in the contract that stops the Cards from franchise tagging Fitzgerald, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

If one were to listen to most reports, then they would have to conclude that the situation in Arizona is dire.  By the doom and gloom that seems to spew from these articles, it would seem that unless the extension is done before the beginning of this season, the Cardinals will have to go 16-0 and win the Super Bowl to even have a shot at hanging onto Larry.

I understand that the world we live in today (this "Twitter age") is all about coming up with the hot new story and selling it; but even so, the situation has been subject to some gross over-exaggeration.

First, let's look at the franchise tag situation.  It has been reported that Fitzgerald's contract has a strict "no franchise tag" clause in it that was set up when he was drafted; some have even used this report as a clear sign that Fitz is looking for a way out.  However, the report is blatantly untrue.  Fitzgerald's contract originally had the clause that he could be tagged, but would then be paid $23 million that year. 

The NFL were the ones who disallowed this portion of the contract after their offices reviewed it.  The franchise tag news has basically no effect on this situation: it does not signify Fitz making a "decision."  And anyway, if the Cardinals were to have tagged Fitz after the season, I doubt he would have been too happy, in which case trading him would have been the better call anyway.  Nothing has changed with this "breaking news".

Now, don't get me wrong: the Cardinals aren't out of the woods.  They do have to make a strong showing this season to keep Fitzgerald.  However, a deep playoff run, like most seem to think, is not needed.  Heck, I'd go as far as to say a run to the playoffs isn't completely necessary. 

Fitzgerald's first years in Arizona were mostly "looking to the future" with Matt Leinart (incredibly); as a whole, the seasons were bad, but it felt like they were building somewhere.  Larry could not have been too happy with the leap backward the team made last year, and that is the sentiment that most reports harp on.  However, with the acquisition of key young players, most notably a quarterback in Kevin Kolb who can actually get him the ball, Fitzgerald will see marked team improvements this season.

Even in a weak division, this newly formed Cardinals team may struggle to make the playoffs, if just for lack of experience playing together.  However, finishing a few games over last season's 5-11 and establishing a connection between Kolb and Fitzgerald should see Larry back in red for 2012.  After all, he's been through worse with this team.

Then again, finishing a few games over 5-11 may just win the NFC West.