For the Arizona Cardinals, Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald saw a great resurgence in the Cardinals run last season. Ultimately, the Cardinals fell short of their big goal of reaching the Super Bowl.
As of Friday, however, the Cardinals ensured the two key players will be Cardinals for the next couple of seasons after giving them both extensions. The extensions will keep Palmer, 36, in a Cardinals uniform through the 2018 season, and will lock Fitzgerald, who turns 33 later this month, through 2017.
Palmer’s extension is worth $24.35 million, with the next two years of the contract are fully guaranteed. For Fitzgerald, his extension is worth $11 million and is also guaranteed.
Cardinals know who their starting quarterback is in the foreseeable future
In his first three seasons as a Cardinal, Palmer has a record of 29-9, passing for 10,571 yards with 70 touchdowns.
The 2015 season was full of question marks for Palmer, the biggest one being how will he return from his second ACL tear? He proved that he can still play at a high level and lead the Cardinals to the NFC Championship Game against the Carolina Panthers.
Coming into this season, he will have to prove that he can shake off the loss to the Panthers while playing at the high level he did a season ago.
The signing gives the Cardinals assurance at the quarterback position. For the Cardinals, they can draft his replacement in the next two drafts, giving the heir a chance to learn from Palmer.
No. 11 likely to be a Cardinal for life
Since drafting him No. 3 overall in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald has been the star receiver that they hoped he would be.
The franchise receiver is coming off the best season of his career, setting a career high with 109 catches, for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. In the NFC Division Game against the Green Bay Packers, he would turn a short pass into a 75-yard gain on the first play of overtime. He would then score the winning touchdown off a pitch from Palmer.
This past offseason, Fitzgerald was asked a lot about retirement. He played it off by being coy and just talked about coming back stronger this season and hoping to get to the Super Bowl.
Retiring a Cardinal is a huge priority for Fitzgerald. This deal would make it likely that when the time comes, he will retire in a Cardinals uniform.
Now that the Cardinals have signed some of key pieces to the team, the Cardinals can move forward in their quest for a Super Bowl. With the help of head coach Bruce Arians, both Fitzgerald and Palmer have enjoyed a career renaissance. It’s only fitting that the three would stay together and have at least two more attempts at brining Arizona its first Lombardi trophy.