TEMPE, Ariz. -- Just before the Cardinals kicked off with the Seahawks on Sunday night at University of Phoenix Stadium, profootballtalk.com, citing a source, reported that the Cardinals would not release receiver Larry Fitzgerald after this season, even though he carries a $23.6 million salary cap number.
General Manager Steve Keim responded Monday morning during his weekly radio appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7.
"We have to make good business decisions," Keim said. "I don't think it's any secret that we said all along that it is our intent to have Larry Fitzgerald retire a Cardinal. I don't want to get into it too deep, but with planning purposes and financially, from a cap standpoint and all those sort of things, we have Larry's number already baked into our numbers.
"We've had ongoing talks with (Fitzgerald's agent) Eugene Parker and we will continue to have ongoing talks. But again, the best I can tell you is that it is our intent to keep Larry and make sure he stays a Cardinal the rest of his career."
If the Cards choose not to release Fitzgerald, the franchise icon has the control, from his deal, to refuse any sort of pay cut. It's impossible to say what the salary cap will be in 2015, but his presence on the roster could prevent the Cardinals from improving in other areas of need.
Fitzgerald has played his entire 11-year career with the Cardinals, setting numerous franchise and NFL records, but it is clear he is frustrated with his role in the offense, even if he'll never admit it publicly.
With his father standing a few feet away from his locker, Fitzgerald was asked after Sunday night's deflating 35-6 loss if he had pondered the possibility that he had just played his last home game.
"I haven't even thought about it," he said, smiling.
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