National Football League

Report: Cardinals won't cut Fitzgerald despite big salary cap hit

Published Dec. 21, 2014 10:24 p.m. ET

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Even at age 31, Larry Fitzgerald would be a welcome addition on many NFL teams. Unfortunately for those teams, it looks like he's not going anywhere soon.

The Arizona Cardinals will not release their All-Pro wide receiver despite the fact he will cost them $23.6 million in salary-cap space next season, a source told Pro Football Talk on Sunday night.

Fitzgerald signed a restructured contract in February to stay with Arizona through the 2014 season, but many believed he could be on his way out due to the massive cap hit the Cardinals would have to take to keep him. Of course, Arizona still could opt to trade Fitzgerald or attempt to restructure his contract, but teams hoping to steal the veteran wideout in free agency apparently will have to look elsewhere.

Fitzgerald has 722 yards and two touchdowns on 57 catches through Week 15 this season, relatively low numbers for a player who topped 1,000 receiving yards for five consecutive seasons from 2007 to 2011. It's hard to blame Fitzgerald, though, as he has played with three different quarterbacks this season and also dealt with injury.

Rumors swirled after the 2013 season that Fitzgerald could join the New England Patriots, but the wide receiver claimed the team never approached him about a trade.

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