Can Larry Fitzgerald Return to Being a Pro Bowler?

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Only three seasons ago, the Arizona Cardinals’ Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald finished the year with a whopping 1,411 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Fitzgerald was seen as one of the best wide receivers in the entire NFL, and had grown to be an extremely consistent and dependable receiver who could be relied on every Sunday.

Although, in recent seasons, Fitzgerald’s days of being a receiver who could easily register 1,000 yard seasons came to a sudden halt in 2012, when he only registered 798 receiving yards and four touchdowns in what many saw as just a down year, he fared better in 2013, when he looked like his old self by registering 954 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

Looking as if he could build off of his 2013 season and get to 1,000 yards in 2014, Fitzgerald struggled yet again. He posted the 2nd fewest receiving yards in a season in his career with 784 yards and a career-worst two touchdowns.

Looking at the ups and downs Fitzgerald has recently experienced, one must wonder if he can ever return to being a 1,000 yard receiver and a Pro Bowl receiver. By the time the 2015 NFL season begins, Fitzgerald will be 32 years old. At 32, it will be hard for “Fitz” to blow by defenders and win jump balls. He has lost some of his speed over the years, and although he is a tall receiver (6’3″), his leaping ability is not the same as it used to be. Fitzgerald will not be able to get open for deep passes as often as he used to and it will be hard for him to have a large amount of receiving yards if he is only catching short passes.

Also, the instability at the quarterback position for the Cardinals will certainly affect Fitzgerald’s production in the 2015 season. With Carson Palmer rehabbing a torn ACL, Drew Stanton may be the starting quarterback week one for Arizona. Even though Stanton is an average starter, he was injured throughout parts of last season, which may lead to the unexperienced Logan Thomas getting some starts under center.

Logan Thomas may end up being a quality starter, but he will not be a quarterback that will increase Fitzgerald’s receiving yards in 2015. Thomas is a guy who loves to throw the ball down the field and usually avoids throwing short passes. As mentioned earlier, Fitzgerald will not usually be open for deep passes since he cannot blow by defenders and win jump balls like he used to. Thomas may be the perfect quarterback to maximize deep threat Michael Floyd’s potential and turn him into a star, but he may not be able to help “Fitz” turn back the clock and be a Pro Bowler in 2015.

Although the odds are against him, no one can ever bet against Larry Fitzgerald. He may not be as fast or as athletic as he once was, but “Fitz” has the ability to return to being a great receiver. Fitzgerald may still have some gas left in the tank, and he can easily put it all together again and add another remarkable season to his career in 2015.