Cardinals receiver Fitzgerald to return next season

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is returning for a 15th season, the team announced Thursday.

Fitzgerald told new Cardinals coach Steve Wilks on Wednesday night that he intends to play in 2018 and finish his contract extension. Fitzgerald, who will turn 35 in Aug. 31, will make $11 million in base salary this season, the final year of his contract extension.

"Larry mentioned to me last night that he's coming back for the 2018 season. ... He's totally committed, those are his words. We're ecstatic to have him part of the Arizona Cardinals," Wilks told the Doug & Wolf Show on 98.7 FM on Thursday morning.

The Cardinals confirmed Fitzgerald's status over Twitter.

An 11-time Pro Bowl selection, Fitzgerald matched his own franchise record with 109 receptions while amassing 1,556 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season for Arizona. He has recorded 1,234 catches for 15,545 yards with 110 touchdowns in 218 career games since the Cardinals selected him with the third overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft.

The Cardinals have undergone significant change in the offseason, with the team losing quarterback Carson Palmer to retirement. Arizona also has a first-year head coach in Wilks and a new offensive coordinator in Mike McCoy.

Palmer announced his retirement following a 15-year career in January and former coach Bruce Arians called it quits after five seasons with the Cardinals.

Matt Barkley, Blaine Gabbert and Drew Stanton are the lone quarterbacks on the roster of the Cardinals, who finished with an 8-8 mark last season.

Gabbert completed 95 of 171 passes for 1,086 yards last season with six touchdowns and six interceptions.

Stanton went 79 of 159 for 894 yards in 2017 with six touchdowns and five interceptions.

Wilks was the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers last season before he was named to succeed Arians.

McCoy has been coaching for 18 seasons and was head coach of the then-San Diego Chargers for four seasons (2013-16), plus offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos for five campaigns (2009-12, 2017). He coached Peyton Manning with the Broncos and Philip Rivers for the Chargers.