Before the 2012 NFL Draft, perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald openly advocated for his Arizona Cardinals to use their first-round draft pick on Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound playmaker who could force opposing defenses to not focus solely on stopping Fitzgerald.
Like Fitzgerald, Floyd is from the Twin Cities and participated in Fitzgerald's famously grueling workouts this summer. Fitzgerald immediately began mentoring Floyd, calling the rookie out for skipping a few workouts before camp.
During an appearance on "NFL AM", Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt was asked about the relationship between Fitzgerald and Floyd.
"Outstanding," Whisenhunt said. "I think there's a good chemistry within that group and it's really put out there by Larry.
"Larry wants to be good and he's committed to doing what he has to do to be good. But one of the things you really like about Larry, and where he's grown tremendously over the years, is his leadership ability with the younger players. He recognizes that Michael Floyd is a young talent, he can help our team and (Larry's) working hard to make that Michael understands what he needs to be a good player and make a contribution for us in his first year."
The Cardinals, and Fitzgerald, need Floyd to contribute right away, but as Kevin Kolb can attest, no player is just handed a starting job by Whisenhunt. Floyd opened the preseason with the "3s" and will have to work his way up the depth chart. Though he caught just one pass for 15 yards in his preseason debut, Floyd showed the explosiveness and physicality that will make it very difficult for Whisenhunt to keep the rookie on the sidelines this season.
