NFL PLAYER NEWS

Cards’ Fitzgerald, Palmer get one-year extensions

The Sports Xchange

August 05, 2016 at 6:42 pm.

Jan 16, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) celebrates after scoring the winning touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during overtime in a NFC Divisional round playoff game at University of Phoenix Stadium. Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 16, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) celebrates after scoring the winning touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during overtime in a NFC Divisional round playoff game at University of Phoenix Stadium. Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Cardinals rewarded star receiver Larry Fitzgerald and quarterback Carson Palmer with one-year contract extensions on Friday.

Fitzgerald’s contract will now run through the 2017 season and Palmer is signed through 2018.

Palmer’s extension is worth $24.35 million and includes a $6.75 million signing bonus. Financial details of Fitzgerald’s extension are still being hashed out.

“Clearly these are two core members of our team who have played major roles in our success,” Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said in a press release. “Each of them had contracts that were due to expire in the next year or two so these extensions provide a measure of certainty and clarity for the players and organization, both now and in the years ahead.

“It also reaffirms our long-stated intention that when the time comes, these two great players end their stellar careers as Cardinals.”

Fitzgerald, a nine-time Pro Bowler, had a career-best 109 receptions last season — which was also a franchise record — for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. He is entering his 13th NFL season.

The 32-year-old Fitzgerald is the franchise leader in receptions (1,018), receiving yards (13,366), receiving touchdowns (98), total touchdowns (98), 100-yard games (41) and consecutive games with a reception (179). He enters the 2016 season ranked 11th in NFL history in catches and 15th in receiving yards.

Palmer, 36, set season franchise records last season with 4,671 passing yards, 35 touchdown passes and a 104.6 passer rating. He was selected to his third career Pro Bowl after helping the Cardinals score a franchise-record 489 points.

Palmer joined the Cardinals in 2013 after being acquired in a trade from the Oakland Raiders. Since coming to the Cardinals, Palmer has a 29-9 record as a starter, including a 19-3 mark the last two seasons.

In three years with the Cardinals, Palmer has thrown for 10,571 yards, 70 touchdowns, 36 interceptions and has a 94.2 passer rating.

Palmer’s extension is further endorsement of the franchise’s belief in him after a disastrous performance in the NFC Championship Game loss to the Carolina Panthers. Palmer committed six turnovers — four interceptions, two lost fumble fumbles – with a long pass completion of just 21 yards in the 49-15 defeat.

Palmer has passed for 40,036 yards, 259 touchdowns and 166 interceptions in a career that began with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2004.

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