Larry Fitzgerald has had $11.75 million of his $12.75 million salary for 2014 converted into a bonus.
The move will create $9.4 million in cap space for the Arizona Cardinals. It technically means Fitzgerald’s salary will be just $1 million in 2014 but he will get $11.75 million right away.
It was a no-brainer move by the Cardinals were needed salary space and had no desire to dump the still productive wide receiver.
As Albert Breer of the NFL Network points out, the $11.75 million the Cardinals “saved” will be spread out in $2.35 million installments over the next five seasons. Sooner or later the Cardinals are going to have to do something drastic with Fitzgerald because his salary cap number jumps to $23.6 million in 2015.
One more try at Fitz's new cap figures for '14-18: $8.6M, $23.6M, $17.6M, $17.35M, $17.35M. (Correcting my bad math on the '15 figure)
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 5, 2014
In addition to the cap number, Fitzgerald has an $8 million roster bonus due next March. Fitzgerald, 30, caught 82 passes for 954 yards and 10 touchdowns.