Arizona Cardinals: Not last stand for Palmer, Fitz, and Arians

The Arizona Cardinals play their last home game of the 2016 regular season on Sunday afternoon

The Arizona Cardinals wrap-up the home portion of the 2016 schedule on Sunday afternoon against the New Orleans Saints. The Cardinals will play the last two games of the season on the road at the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.

With speculation on the futures of quarterback Carson Palmer, who is about to turn 37, receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and head coach Bruce Arians, the question is will this be the last time Cardinals fans will see any or all of them ever? I don’t believe so.

Arians has already said he is coming back, no question. As long as he is healthy, Palmer should come back as well. The Cardinals need him in 2017. Beyond that can be argued. The Cardinals don’t have a replacement yet though.

As for Fitz, he’s dodged the question all season and rightfully so. There is no reason for him to create that distraction or fuel the fire. Because of how this season unfolded, there has to be a belief he is returning next season.

Clearly the goals for 2017 have not been met. The Cardinals goal for the last few years has been to not just get to the Super Bowl, but win it. That goal will remain the same in 2017, despite the roster changes forthcoming.

Fitz and Palmer still have plenty left in the tank. Arians still has the fire. Now some might argue he has started to lose trust or respect in the locker room because of how the Michael Floyd issue was handled. Doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter because the Cardinals front office loves BA. It doesn’t matter because regardless of how some players may feel, the move to cut Floyd was the right one. He most likely wasn’t coming back in 2017 anyway.

Whatever happens over the last three games, win or lose, this nucleus will return to make one more run at it. The 2016 has to have left a bitter taste of disappointment in all three individuals.

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