Fitz offers Boldin assistance
January 28
Arizona Republic
"Receiver Larry Fitzgerald would be willing to restructure his contract if it means the team can keep receiver Anquan Boldin, but cap space isn't the problem in extending Boldin's contract.
Fitzgerald's willingness to alter the four-year, $40 million contract he signed last spring was reported on the NFL Network on Tuesday. The Cardinals, however, are about $41 million under the 2009 salary cap, so cap space isn't an issue with Boldin.
That $41 million figure is misleading, Cardinals officials said, because it doesn't include escalator clauses, option bonuses and tenders to free agents, most of which begin to count against the cap in March.
The main obstacle in a new deal with Boldin is money, especially the guaranteed portions. The sides haven't negotiated for months, and Boldin has said he won't re-sign with the team.
Boldin has deflected questions about the issue this week, and General Manager Rod Graves said the team would "evaluate where we are with Anquan after the season.
"We still consider him a core member of our football team."
Pittsburgh ties
Fitzgerald grew up around the Minnesota Vikings, serving as a ballboy for the team, but he grew fond of the Steelers while at the University of Pittsburgh.
The Steelers and the university share a training facility, and Fitzgerald said "he used to go over there all the time and try to bum free lunches out of their cafeteria. They had great food over there."
Fitzgerald ended up at Pittsburgh by chance.
He was on his way to an informal visit to Penn State when a storm forced a stop in Pittsburgh.
"My high school coach told me that Tony Dorsett and Dan Marino and Mike Ditka went there," Fitzgerald said. "So we went over to their facility, and their coaches didn't know we were coming.
"I met the coaches, and we gave them my tape. That was how the relationship started.""
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