There Will Be No Midnight Green Fitzgerald Jerseys

From Larry Fitz's site:

The Arizona Cardinals have reached a contract agreement with All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr., Pending NFL approval. The 24 year old Fitzgerald, who helped the Cardinals to a 8-8 record in 2007 their best in ten years will remain with the Cardinals after signing a four-year contract extension.

The contract guarantees Fitzgerald $30mil, and he gets out of it well before his 30th birthday. He done well for himself. Eagles fans who'd been holding out hope of seeing him in Philadelphia can now relinquish said hope.

Comments

[Kulp]

First person to insist on a trade for Chad Johnson gets punched in the face.

[Joe]

I love how all the Philly bloggers have been trying to shoot this down from the beginning. Though unlikely, it can still happen. And in a city where all we do is lose, we still have some hope. Stop being such negative nancy's.

[Kulp]

Ummm.... no, it can't happen. The only reason there were trade rumors to begin with was his contract situation. Now they have addressed that, so there is absolutely no reason to trade one of the best receivers in football.

The Cardinals said all along they were keeping him. It's over, Joe.

[Joe]

Wishful thinking, I guess. I just see the organization getting predictably complacent now. Or making a half-ass effort for another #3 receiver. Ugh.

[rosco]

here's to another off-season of management convincing us/themselves/the media of their confidence in jason avant.

[Paul D]

Well that ends that...

at least for the moment we have an insanely terrifying secondary of Dawkins, Samuel, Sheppard, Brown etc.

Man I hope we find a way to keep that group together... maybe draft Deshaun Jackson in the 1st round?

[Kulp]

DeSean Jackson... 5'9", 169 lbs. He makes Kevin Curtis look like Andre the Giant.

It's not really management's fault they couldn't get Fitz or a premiere receiver. They made an offer, and they tried to get Moss. Give them a chance to draft somebody or perhaps work out a deal for Roy Williams if that's on the table.

[rosco]

i'd love james hardy. i'd also love for him to contribute his rookie season.

[johndewar]

Any predictions on the next #2 receiver they get that they'll try to hustle on us as a #1 receiver?

[Bryan]

Bryant Johnson?

[Esco]

I would love the Eagles to draft a WR, I enjoy watching the rookies sit on the bench all year.

[Esco]

B.Johnson??? I don't want another teams # 3 WR. And didn't he sign with the Bills??

[Bryan]

I know it was rumored, but don't know that it ever happened? He's a better option than anything past Curtis.

[Nails]

We HAVE to draft an OT in the first round this year with this being the last years on JR and WT contracts.

Expect to see the same receiver as last year.. Which IMHO aren't as bad as everyone else thinks.

[Joe Manning]

You know that they're gonna enter the season with the same mediocre receiving core as last year.

AND they'll trade Lito Sheppard - for draft picks.

Which will effectively put us right back where we were at the end of last season.

[Esco]

I agree Bryan, we need something. Just wish they had that guy that could move the ball on 3rd down. That guy who gave you the feeling that everytime the offence took the field, they will put some points on the board. I love Westbrook, but give the man some help.

[John]

....And the draft picks they trade for will get cut (just like half the picks from last year)

[John]

Agreed, if they don't add a legitimate offensive threat we are in for a repeat of last season. Opposing teams gameplan: Blitz, Double Westbrook = victory

[Kulp]

I'm disappointed today like the rest of you, but I don't understand why anybody is ripping the Eagles right now.

This clearly has been an unusually aggressive off-season for the Birds. They signed the top free agent on the market. They added a versatile pass rusher. They even made longshot efforts to add All Pro receivers. Things didn't work out with Fitz or Moss, but the front office has shown a renewed urgency.

Yet one thing goes wrong and people start blasting the team for moves they haven't even made! They're going to trade Lito for picks and cut them, they're going to draft a wide receiver and bench him, or they're going to sign someone with average skills and tout him as a #1. Yeah, the Eagles have been real predictable the past two weeks...

The off-season is a long process. There are still moves to be made and the draft. Maybe they will go out and do something we can disagree with, but give them the benefit of the doubt. This team is close, and everything they have done to this point indicates a slightly altered philosophy: the time is right now.

[Johnny G]

couldn't agree more kulp... you never know what happens on draft day... isn't that when the patriots got randy moss last year?

[themajor]

I am agreeing with kulp on this one. The effort the eagles made and the pick up they got have done nothing but improve this team and they still have some bargaining chips to try and work a trade out. if we learned anything from the patriots last year its that sometimes the number 1 guy isn't the one getting the ball at every oppurtunity I believe a number two guy got the ball. now I know its take a legitmate number 1 reciever to open up that threat, but you can only expect so much for a team to do.

[John]

Well until they do something I reserve the right to be pessimistic. I watch other teams allow their rookie draft picks to contribute (Giants) and am left wondering if the Eagles know what they are doing. They finished last in the division, the coach is at times severely stubborn and inept (Greg Lewis/JR Reed returning punts) and they are still lugging around dead weight on the roster (Greg Lewis, Jerome McDougle) They cut half of their draft picks last year (Gaddis, Ilaoa, Barksdale) So they better do something good.

[Jonn]

Don't cry the "hear we go again" blues until after the draft. I know skinny LOVES drafting guys, even at the expense of production, but it sounds like they realize they have a good group of young guys and are willing to part wit draft picks. I definately agree that an OT would be a good idea, but I feel that it would be better to trade away our #1. Don't harp on them until after the draft, they still got plenty of picks to play with.

[Esco]

I would love to give the Eagles the benifit of the doubt, but the bottom line is them needing a "go to guy" at WR isn't something new. Yes, they really tried this year to add one, but what about the other years? Before T.O. who was it?? Do we have to go as far back as Irving Fryar???

I would get into why I wouldn't want them to draft a WR but I don't have that much time. I mean look at last years rooks, most weren't even dressed for most the year. There is still time for something to happen, I just hope it's a step in the right direction.

[Jason]

People are too hard on the Eagles wide outs. Last season McNabb had essentially the same receiving core he did in 2006 (minus Stallworth, plus Curtis who's better). In 2006 the Eagles had the second best passing game in the nfl.

Last season the problem was much more with McNabb than with the WRs (notice AJ Feeley had no trouble moving the ball vs. the Pats and Seahawks). I know it fashionable to blame McNabb, but in this case its warranted. He was probably 75% the majority of the season and was much more worried about his lack of mobility and the oncoming pass rush than he was about finding an open receiver. McNabb being 100% this season should impove the entire passing game. While I'd love to see them acquire a true #1, I don't think the entire team is doomed with the current set they have.

[John]

Jason, the wide receivers we have just don't cut it. Greg Lewis sucks. Baskett was a no show last year, as was Reggie Brown.

[Kulp]

The wide receivers we have are mostly fine. The only issue is their inability to score touchdowns.

Sure, having McNabb and L.J. at 100% should lead to an improvement for the 24th red zone offense, but it would be nice if we could add an effective "jump receiver." He doesn't need to be the #1 in 2008, he simply needs to be able to leap small cornerbacks in a single bound.

7 of the top 10 scoring wide receivers in '07 were 6'3" or taller. I know I've said that a million times, but it's worth repeating. Size matters in the red zone, and adding one of several jump receivers from the draft should naturally lead to more efficiency inside 20 yards.

[Esco]

They have a 6'4 WR on the roster that was a high jump champ in college and don't use him in the redzone............