Agent: Fitzgerald impasse cost Cardinals a shot at Faneca

Alan Faneca’s agent said Friday that Larry Fitzgerald’s drawn-out contract talks with the Cardinals cost Arizona a chance to land Faneca, the well-regarded, free-agent offensive lineman.

“They would 100 percent be in this thing if Larry had redone his deal,” said Rick Smith, Faneca’s Chicago-based agent.

“Larry is going to cost them Alan Faneca. It’s a fact.”

Smith would not say where Faneca, a former LSU standout who had spent his entire 10-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is headed but said, “It’s definitely not going to be Arizona. It really sucks.”

Reports have Faneca close to signing with the New York Jets.

Eugene Parker, Fitzgerald’s agent, has not returned calls on Fitzgerald’s contract talks. The Cardinals currently owe him $32 million over the next two years because of incentives Fitzgerald reached in his rookie contract.

Club officials say they hope to sign Fitzgerald to a long-term deal.

Fitzgerald told KTAR (620 AM) radio, “I want to be a consummate professional, a team guy. I don’t want to do anything to hurt the team.”

He told ESPN.com, “I think we’re getting real close. The Cardinals (are) where I want to be.

“I hear they want to keep me. Like I said earlier, I love Arizona. I like my coaching staff. I think we’ll be successful for years to come and I want to be a part of that.”

There has been speculation the Cardinals might be willing to trade Fitzgerald to Philadelphia, perhaps for cornerback Lito Sheppard and a draft pick.

On the subject of a possible trade, Fitzgerald told ESPN.com, “I love Arizona. I’m very fortunate to play for a family organization like the Cardinals.

“I don’t want to be traded.”

In other matters, a number of other Cardinals are exploring the free-agent market:

• Calvin Pace is checking out Miami, among other teams.

There’s speculation that Pace, a part-time player until he enjoyed a breakout year for the Cardinals this past season, could get $15 million or more in guaranteed money.

• The agent for receiver Jerheme Urban, for whom the Cardinals declined to make a tender offer, said he is talking with the Cardinals about returning.

The Cardinals could offer Urban $520,000 or more for 2008.

“We’d prefer the ‘or more’,” agent John Drana said.

“They made it clear they want him,” Drana said of the Cardinals, though he said the Fitzgerald situation has been a factor. “We are talking.

“He liked his time there ... He made a lot of progress. He’s a big fan of the coaching staff. But we’d be shortsighted not to see what else is out there.”

• The agent for linebacker Darryl Blackstock said Miami and Cincinnati are interested in the free agent, to whom the Cardinals declined to make a tender offer.

“If they want him, he’d definitely consider it,’ Brad Blank said of a possible return to Arizona.

But, “I don’t see it as likely. If they are interested, they should let me know.”