As the NFL Draft approaches every year, certain players seem to be routinely brought up in trade rumors and speculation. It's just the nature of the beast in football. Around this time last year, many of these trade rumors centered on Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Floyd. Clearly, that didn't happen, and Floyd went on to have a quality season while the Cardinals emerged as one of the NFL's most potent offenses.
But with the NFL Draft upon us once again, whispers of moving Floyd have been heard around the league this week. The 2012 first-rounder is entering the final year of his contract, and rumors of him being dealt for a pick are hard to ignore. However, Floyd is shrugging off any and all unsubstantiated background noise, just as he did last year.
"I don't worry about it at all," Floyd said right before throwing out the first pitch at Tuesday night's Diamondbacks game. "It's kind of what I saw last year too, but I don't worry about it at all. I go into work, put my work in, watch film with my teammates and go about my day."
Despite the solid play of John Brown and the presence of speedy J.J. Nelson on the roster, Floyd is more likely to remain a Cardinal for the 2016 season. His contract calls for just north of $7 million this year before Arizona must decide whether or not they want to keep the pass-catcher in the desert for the long-term. Likewise, Floyd will have to make up his mind on whether he wants to stay in AZ.
Floyd has been a solid No. 2 receiver for the Cardinals, but he hasn't reached the heights that Arizona had hoped for when they invested the 13th overall pick into him. The 26-year-old has posted just one 1,000-yard receiving season, and that was back in 2013. Last year, he caught 52 passes for 869 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 16.3 yards per catch. The guy is a dangerous deep threat, but not quite a No. 1 option in the passing game.
Still, as a free agent, Floyd could command more money on the open market than the Cards are willing to pony up, even with Larry Fitzgerald's looming free agency or possible retirement. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
