Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim said last week that he expects to have quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald back with the team in 2017 and the two players fielded questions about their plans for the future after Sunday’s 48-41 loss to the Saints.
Palmer said he hasn’t given much thought to what’s beyond the 2016 season at this point, but that he expects that he will be back and wants to remain with the team. Fitzgerald, who is under contract for next year along with Palmer, also said that it hasn’t been on his mind and sounded less sure about his feelings than Palmer.
“I got two more games to go [this season],” Fitzgerald said, via the team’s website. “I will play those games as hard as I can against two division opponents and we will see what goes on this offseason. My attention is solely focused on Seattle this Saturday.”
Fitzgerald needs two catches for the fourth 100-catch season of his career and needs 12 catches to top last year’s 109 for the most in a single season in his career. He’s averaging a career-low 9.7 yards per catch, but otherwise appears to have plenty of gas in the tank.
Palmer’s play has taken a bigger slip, although any thoughts about a change at quarterback will have to be balanced with whether another choice would be an upgrade on what they can expect from Palmer.