How to Structure a Fitzgerald Deal

Note, if you are an Arizona Cardinals’ executive, please stop reading now.

 

It would seem that the only thing holding back Larry Fitzgerald’s renegotiated contract would be the ability of the Cardinals to pay him the upfront cash he so desires. Not sure if Jeff Lurie has $25-30 million just sitting in the bank, but given how much of an ATM the team and the Linc are these days, I’m guessing he does. Indeed, with 2008 season ticket payments now due, Lurie has money literally rolling in.

 

So how to structure an Eagles contract for Fitzgerald that gives him the money he wants and the cap flexibility the Eagles so desire?

 

How about a 4 year, $32 million contract with $28 million in guaranteed money – structured similar to Asante Samuel’s deal with a $12 million signing bonus, an $8 million 2008 roster bonus, and a $8 million 2009 roster bonus – and $1 million base salaries over the next four years?

 

That would mean that that Fitzgerald’s salary cap figure would be $8 million/year…or $1.6 million less in cap space than TO’s current deal, or even slightly less than Marvin Harrison, and slightly more than Chad Johnson and Torry Holt – whose 2007 cap #s are in the $7.7 million range.

 

Heck the Eagles could still pay out the signing/roster bonuses at the levels mentioned above and even bump up the base by $2.5 million – to $3.5 million per year – for an even 4 year $40 million deal that makes Fitzgerald’s cap hit $10 million per year, or “only” $400,000 more than the wide receiver who shall not be named.

 

I’m guessing the two things holding up the Cardinals from doing this simple deal are a wish for a longer contract period beyond four years so they can lock him up for most of his prime – six years? – and the lack of that much money on hand for the famously tight-fisted Bidwill family.