Arizona Cardinals Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Cardinals HC Hints At Carson Palmer Return

February 3rd, 2017 at 2:33pm CST by Zachary Links

It sounds like Carson Palmer won’t be keeping us in suspense for much longer. When asked about Carson Palmer’s future on ESPN (Twitter link), Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said, “I think he’ll announce he’s coming back real soon.”

This week, things got murky when a report claimed Palmer had put his Arizona home up for sale, pulled his kids out of school, and relocated to another state. Soon after, another Arizona beat writer heard that no such plans were in motion. Indeed, Palmer remains rooted in Arizona and it sounds like he will remain with the club in 2017.

Palmer, a three-time Pro Bowler, will turn 37 during the ’17 season. While he has defied his age in the past, 2016 was a rough year for him and it led many to wonder if he was finished. Now that Palmer is (likely) coming back, it will be interesting to see whether the Cards still pursue other QB options. Reportedly, the team likes Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson and Bills signal caller Tyrod Taylor.

Palmer is very close with Larry Fitzgerald and the receiver’s decision to return for another season likely played a role in Palmer’s call to come back.

Cardinals Not Interested In Washington Return

February 3rd, 2017 at 12:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Daryl Washington anticipates being reinstated this year and expects that the Cardinals will want him back in the fold. Well, we have some bad news for the suspended linebacker. When asked about the possibility of Arizona welcoming Washington back, one source told Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter), “[I] highly doubt it.”

Washington has been encountered a number of hurdles with regards to a potential return. He was suspended indefinitely in 2014 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. On top of that, he still could face league discipline for a domestic violence incident which resulted in one year of probation. Washington has not played since Week 17 of the 2013 season and despite his optimism, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be given the green light for 2017.

Washington, 30, earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2012 when he notched 134 total tackles and 9.0 sacks. Even in his final year, he continued to be productive with 75 total tackles and 3.0 sacks. Still, the Cardinals have run out of patience with Washington. If cleared, he’ll have to try and hook on elsewhere.

Daryl Washington Expecting To Return

February 3rd, 2017 at 9:46am CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington “anticipates the team wanting him back,” a source tells Joe Pequeno of CBS5 (on Twitter). Furthermore, Washington expects to be reinstated in March. This item should be taken with a kosher grain of salt since Arizona’s level of interest is unknown. Washington’s own assessment of his reinstatement process also doesn’t mean a great deal. The former Pro Bowler hasn’t played since Week 17 of the 2013 season thanks to a substance abuse ban that has yet to be lifted.

Cards Eyeing Deshaun Watson, Tyrod Taylor

February 2nd, 2017 at 7:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cardinals are “very high” on Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson and are willing to trade up in the draft in order to select him, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. If Arizona fails to land Watson, the club could instead target Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who’s expected to hit the free agent market.

Arizona, of course, already has an incumbent signal-caller in Carson Palmer, but he’s reportedly considering retirement and the Cardinals are unsure if he plans to play in 2017. Given that wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald announced that he’ll play at least one more season in the desert, Palmer may be more apt to return, too, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who adds that Palmer and Fitzgerald are “tied at the hip.”

Watson could still make sense for the Cardinals even if Palmer does continue his career, as the latter is now 37 years old and nearing the end of his NFL run. Long projected as a first-round pick, Watson has a chance to be selected within the top-10, and may not get past the Browns at pick No. 12. Arizona sits one pick later at No. 13, and could need to move up in order to find its long-term franchise quarterback, an area of focus I pointed to when assessing the Cardinals’ top offseason needs.

Taylor, on the other hand, probably isn’t a fit for Arizona unless Palmer hangs up his cleats, as Taylor is unlikely to accept an offer to become a backup quarterback. Buffalo is expected to decline an option on Taylor that would guarantee him north of $30MM, and instead allow him to reach the open market. Over the past two seasons, Taylor has completed 62.6% of his passes while averaging 18 touchdowns and six interceptions per year, adding more than 1,000 yards on the ground during that span.

Bills Interested In Tony Romo

February 2nd, 2017 at 5:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills have “significant” interest in Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, although Buffalo is still eyeing a future with incumbent QB Tyrod Taylor, albeit on a cheaper contract than the his current option-based deal, which would guarantee him north of $30MM.

Romo, meanwhile, unsurprisingly prefers to land with a contending team, and it’s not clear that he views the Bills in such a light. Instead, Romo’s list of favored destinations includes the Broncos, Texans, Cardinals, and Chiefs, per La Canfora. Denver has been tossed out as a suitor for Romo before, but the general manager John Elway & Co. are reportedly more likely to target Romo as a free agent than as an acquirable asset. Houston, too, doesn’t appear to be in the running, as the Texans are more likely to draft a quarterback than pursue a veteran option.

Barriers block a potential path between Romo and Arizona/Kansas City, as well. Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer has reportedly been contemplating retirement, but the chances of his return could be buoyed by wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald‘s announcement that he’ll continue his career in 2017. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have Alex Smith under contract for the next two seasons, but could theoretically release him with a post-June 1 designation, and take on dead money charges of $3.6MM in 2017 and 2018.

Romo, hypothetically, would be a solid fit in new Buffalo offensive coordinator Rick Dennsion‘s scheme, which utilizes many of the same zone-blocking concepts deployed by the Cowboys. The Bills ranked first in rushing DVOA last season but just 19th in passing DVOA.

Larry Fitzgerald To Return In 2017

February 1st, 2017 at 8:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will continue his NFL career through at least 2017, according to Jim Trotter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As of early this week, Arizona was still unsure if Fitzgerald would return next year, but those concerns have now been alleviated.

Fitzgerald’s retirement status has been a subject of conversation since the 2016 season began, while the Cardinals are also waiting on an official word from quarterback Carson Palmer, who is also thought to be contemplating the end of his career. Extended on the same day last season, Fitzgerald and Palmer are signed through 2017 and 2018, respectively. As such, the 33-year-old Fitzgerald is scheduled to earn a base salary of $11MM next season, though that figure is guaranteed for injury only.

The return of Fitzgerald, who’s been with the Cardinals since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2004, will add stability to Arizona’s wide receiver corps, and the club’s offense as a whole. At present, Fitzgerald tops a WR unit that also includes John Brown, Jaron Brown, and J.J. Nelson. Although the Cardinals’ offense now revolves around running back David Johnson, the return of Fitzgerald could further entice Palmer to return in 2017, especially given that it was Palmer who was attempting to convince Fitzgerald to keep playing earlier this offseason.

In his 13th NFL season, Fitzgerald once again posted elite production, leading the league in receptions (107) while acting primarily as a slot receiver. While his yards per reception hit an all-time low, Fitzgerald put up 100 catches for the second consecutive year, serving as something of a glorified tight end (who excels at blocking) in Bruce Arians‘ offense.

From a historical perspective, Fitzgerald doesn’t have much else to prove, as he already ranks second in NFL history with 1,125 receptions, eighth in receiving yards (14,389), and sixth in receiving touchdowns (104). The last remaining goal, then, is a Super Bowl victory, which would only cap Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame career.

Carson Palmer Hasn't Sold Arizona House

February 1st, 2017 at 5:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite reports to the contrary, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears Carson Palmer‘s house is not for sale. Furthermore, his family has left town during the offseason before, so perhaps we shouldn’t read too much into the news. It’s still not clear if the three-time Pro Bowler will return for what would be his age-37 season with the Cardinals.

Carson Palmer Preparing To Retire?

January 31st, 2017 at 8:05pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Cardinals don’t know if quarterback Carson Palmer will return in 2017 for what would be his age-37 season, but one new rumbling on the three-time Pro Bowler could be cause for pessimism. Palmer has put his Arizona home up for sale, pulled his kids out of school and relocated to another state, Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 hears (Twitter link via one of Jurecki’s colleagues, Jody Oehler). But Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic has radically different information, tweeting that Palmer has not put his house up for sale. For now, Palmer is under contract through 2018 and set to rake in a $15MM base salary next season.

Health To Influence Carson Palmer's Decision

January 30th, 2017 at 10:20am CST by Sam Robinson

Carson Palmer confirmed he hasn’t made his decision about returning for a 15th NFL season. “I guess nothing’s ever official until it is, but I’d like to play if my body responds the way I hope,” the 37-year-old Cardinals quarterback said in a text message to Dan Bickley of the Arizona Daily Republic. Palmer missed a game this season because of a concussion. A Sunday report put the statuses of both Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald in doubt. Palmer is due a base salary of $15.5MM in 2017, with a $2MM roster bonus attached to his employment. The Cardinals have not placed a timetable on Palmer and Fitzgerald but would like to know the duo’s decisions by mid-February.

Cardinals Uncertain If Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald Will Return

January 29th, 2017 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The two players most associated with the Cardinals’ passing game this decade have not yet decided on returning for the 2017 season. Neither Carson Palmer nor Larry Fitzgerald has informed the Cardinals about his plans for ’17, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Both are considering retirement and have been for some time, per Rapoport.

While the Cardinals do not know the duo’s plans, they have been communicating with their quarterback and No. 1 wide receiver since their season ended. And although no set deadline exists, the team would like to know each’s decision by mid-February in order to have sufficient time to plan an offseason strategy. Key Cardinals personnel expect both to return, but Rapoport notes that thinking could be based on hope, to some degree.

A factor in Palmer’s decision will be Arizona’s quarterbacks coach. Freddie Kitchens will now coach the Cardinals’ running backs, with Byron Leftwich — a 2003 draft class mate of Palmer’s — recently hired to coach the QBs. Palmer has not worked with Leftwich, which is factoring into his decision, per Rapoport. Several NFL personnel — one GM, two coaches and several talent evaluators — believe Palmer will retire after observing his 2016 season. But many people close to the quarterback insist he doesn’t know yet.

The tandem’s contract extensions signed last August are not believed to be a factor in this decision-making process, according to Rapoport. Fitzgerald and Palmer are each under contract through 2017, and Palmer intimated multiple times late in 2016 he was planning to come back for his age-37 season. Fitzgerald, though, was more hesitant.

In December, Palmer attempted to convince Fitzgerald to play at least one more season. Fitz’s status for what would be his age-34 slate depends on Palmer, Rapoport reports. A source informed Rapoport Fitzgerald would have a harder time returning if Palmer retires due to the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position. Much of Fitzgerald’s prime encompassed the years between Kurt Warner and Palmer, limiting his capabilities.

Palmer did not fare nearly as well this season as he did when he was an MVP candidate in 2015, but Fitzgerald led the NFL with 107 receptions. Fitzgerald is signed through the 2017 season and would make $11MM in base salary. Palmer is under contract through 2018 and will earn $15MM in base if he comes back. These two represent Arizona’s top two cap holds for ’17, with Palmer set to comprise $24.09MM of the Cards’ cap and Fitz set to take up $15.85MM of it.

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