Before the beginning of the 2016-17 campaign, Michael Floyd appeared on the local radio program Burns and Gambo on Arizona Sports 98.7 to declare, once again, that he was a top wide receiver in the NFL. He also stated that, following this season -- the final season he would play under his current rookie contract -- he wanted to be paid like one too. That all but signaled Floyd would probably be on his way out of town in the offseason.
Unfortunately, nothing has gone to plan, both for the Cardinals and for Floyd.
The former Notre Dame receiver has played in 8 games thus far, hauling in just 19 catches for 257 yards and 3 touchdowns. Halfway through the season, that projects him to be right on par with how he played in his rookie season, albeit with a few more touchdowns. For a guy that wants to get top dollar in the upcoming offseason, those numbers simply aren't acceptable.
He can't blame it on Palmer having too many receivers to pass the ball around to, either. John Brown has missed much of the season with leg issues stemming from a sickle cell trait. J.J. Nelson has missed time as well. Jaron Brown is out for the season with an ACL injury. Larry Fitzgerald has really been the only constant in the entire group of wide receivers.
Floyd has really been his own worst enemy. Plagued by numerous drops and an inability to get separation from defenders, he just hasn't made himself available to Carson Palmer the way he has in the past. Granted, Palmer himself is having a down year compared to his 2015 MVP-caliber season, but Floyd, simply put, just hasn't been good.
So is now the time to pounce for general manager Steve Keim and the Arizona Cardinals?
Floyd doesn't figure to get anywhere near the money of the upper-echelon wide receivers in the game, such as Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant. Each of them average at least $14 million per year, which Floyd won't even be able to sniff. In my estimation, he figures to be closer to the Randall Cobb and Allen Hurns numbers of $10 million per year -- if he's lucky.
Then again, maybe not. Talented wide receivers are in demand across the league and it only takes one general manager from another team to see a glimpse of potential with Floyd to then back up a truck full of money to drop on his doorstep.
But what if the Arizona Cardinals came in now and offered him a contract that paid him healthily for the next 5 years and gave him a nice guarantee of money as well? Let's say they offered him 5 years at $45 million dollars with a guarantee of $25 million. Would Floyd be willing to gamble to hit the open market knowing that he may not get another offer that lucrative?
If he accepted something like that, the Cardinals would be banking on Floyd bouncing back to the type of season he had in 2013 and, eventually, being the #1 wide receiver, replacing Larry Fitzgerald. Whether he can do that is the question Keim will have to ask himself.
Either way, if the Cardinals want to do something, Floyd might have played himself back into a range where the team may be able to retain him.