Cardinals G.M. Rod Graves says he’s optimistic by nature. That’s why he’s so sunny about a potential contract extension for wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald when there isn’t a lot of reason to think they will get one done by March 4.
“Obviously the window is getting shorter in terms of being able to close something before the end of the [league] year,” Graves said Friday via the team’s official website. “We will see what happens over the next week or week-and-a-half. Again, the objective is to extend his deal.”
Graves confirmed that negotiations were ongoing, but it doesn’t sound like a deal is imminent.
Fitzgerald represents the top of the Cardinals roster. Linebacker Joey Porter resides somewhere else. PFT asked Ken Whisenhunt to evaluate Porter’s season.
“Joey was in a situation that was tough for him, he was playing a tremendous amount of snaps and for a player his age that was tough and that was not our intent,” Whisenhunt said.
Fair enough, but Porter is paid like a full-time player. Whisenhunt said Porter’s attitude was great, yet his body was unwilling by the end of the season. It sounds like the team won’t cut Porter and his bloated salary yet.
“I expect to see Joey come in and compete and try to get back to the player he had been for us and we’ll see how that progresses,” Whisenhunt said.