Every year, Larry Fitzgerald holds about a month's worth of work at home in Minnesota. There is a little bit of throwing and mostly hardcore conditioning and weightlifting, all designed to help in the "downtime" an NFL player has right before training camp. I was fortunate enough to take a trip up to visit last year (here is the story and the resulting video of that trip.) The time there is great for these guys. Hard work through noon or 1, and then everyone is usually invited daily back to Fitz's house to hang out or go jet-skiing on the lake. I'd take that life this time of year. This year, both Fitz and new quarterback Carson Palmer talked a few times how they were going to hook up during the workouts, and Palmer, a man of his word, is indeed up in Minnesota right now.
Apparently, most of the throwers and catchers are, for that matter. Fitz will take anyone across the league who wants to come -- last year, Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts and Seahawks running back Leon Washington were among the guys there when I was there -- but it's never bad when Cardinals come. This year, there are a ton of Cardinals there. Fitz put out the picture below earlier today on social media (thanks for letting me "borrow" it, Fitz). From left to right, starting in the back, it is Michael Rios, Jaron Brown, Dan Buckner (I hope, always tougher with the undrafted rookies), Tyler Shaw, QB Ryan Lindley, LaRon Byrd, Kerry Taylor, QB Carson Palmer, Michael Floyd and QB Drew Stanton. In the front, it's Andre Roberts, Charles Hawkins, Fitz and Robert Gill. (Here is a story from a local TV station with a little video.)
It's a huge turnout, and seems to bode well. Then again, if you are a QB and Palmer is going to be there, or you are a receiver and Fitz, Floyd and Roberts are going to be there, it's tough to say no. Either way, I think of Bruce Arians saying when the Cards come back for camp there can't be regression -- that at worst the Cards have to come in where they left off after offseason work, and maybe even a little ahead.
It's hard not to think that the QBs and receivers will accomplish that goal after working in Fitz's backyard.
