The Arizona Cardinals may be preparing to move on from wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Saying goodbye to franchise mainstays is a difficult yet inevitable part of the NFL, and Fitzgerald's recent comments on NFL Live made it seem as if the team is preparing to move on from the 31-year-old.
"I really enjoyed my time here in Arizona," Fitzgerald said. "Working for the Bidwill family has been great and playing for the Cardinals. Hopefully we can get something done.
"The business part of football isn't something I always enjoy but it's something that we need to address."
The business aspect Fitzgerald is referring to is his astronomical $23.6 million salary cap figure for the 2015 season. That is a ridiculous amount of money for any non-quarterback, let alone an aging receiver whose 63 receptions and 784 yards this past season were his lowest totals since his rookie year. In Fitzgerald's defense, Arizona's QB situation was a mess this season and injuries didn't help either. But Fitzgerald also isn't the same springy receiver hauling in every jump ball that he was during Arizona's Super Bowl run in 2009.
"The semantics in question were Fitzgerald's use of the 'enjoyed' in the past tense, bringing into doubt his future with the franchise," ESPN's Cardinals reporter Josh Weinfuss said.
"In all likelihood, his answer has no bearing on whether he's already decided to rework his contract with the team. Technically, he has 'enjoyed' his time with the Cardinals because the last 11 years were in the past. But with so much at stake, one can never be sure if that's what he meant."
ESPN's Mike Sando shared his thoughts on the situation.
"I don't see him on the roster at that number," Sando wrote. "Maybe they can find a way to reduce it. That is just my feel as they go into the third year of the Arians era. Now, that said, Fitzgerald has great value to them. He plays the game the right way and is a tremendous example as a blocker when he is not catching passes. It just seems like the tipping point is drawing near. If they could really upgrade at tight end, maybe they could feel better moving on from that deal. Unfortunately, there would still be a big cap charge. Tough situation to read."
It was rumored that if the Cardinals attempt to trade the veteran wide receiver, the New England Patriots could be a potential partner.