TEMPE, Ariz. -- It has been a while since Larry Fitzgerald can remember being in a receivers room as deep and as talented as the Arizona Cardinals' for this coming season.

As the elder statesman of receivers room, it's Fitzgerald who wants to pass along to the younger generation the type of mentoring and guidance he received after being drafted No. 3 overall in 2004.

"I want to be a resource for the younger guys if they have questions for me, somebody they can rely on," Fitzgerald said. "And I can try to help them reach their goals, just like I was able to reach mine."

Fitzgerald lived out every teenage football player's dreams. He was a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings in high school, during which time he befriended the likes of Cris Carter, Anthony Carter and Randy Moss, who mentored Fitzgerald during his prep and collegiate years. And when Fitzgerald was starting out with the Cardinals, Shannon Sharpe, Marvin Harrison, Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt reached out to help him. Even Terrell Owens spent time with Fitzgerald, watching tape.

It still continues today.

"I can name 100 guys who call me on my phone, 'Fitz, I saw you play last week. You need to do a better job of getting out of this break,'" Fitzgerald said. "Not in a way to be demeaning, but just to help me. And they don't have to do that."

Now it's Fitzgerald making those calls, knowing that he, also, doesn't have to do it.

Fitzgerald talks with Odell Beckham Jr., Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green and Demaryius Thomas, among other players from around the NFL.

"They're not always picking my mind, but [I'm] just checking in on them to see how they're doing, how their offseason is going," Fitzgerald said. "I like to check on them to make sure they're enjoying themselves and getting better."

At the start of Fitzgerald's career, he heard his veteran teammates bemoan his fraternization with the so-called "enemies." He listened, but he also formed his own opinion: If it wasn't affecting his game, then he wouldn't stop.

It wasn't. Fitzgerald put up six 1,000-yard seasons in his first eight years in the league.

"We could be exchanging pleasantries, but the next time I come line up for you I'm still trying to take your head off," Fitzgerald said. "It's no different, so it doesn't diminish my competitive spirit at all."

But times have changed, Fitzgerald said.

During his early years in the NFL, Fitzgerald said there weren't reasons to "bump" into his foes. These days, with all the charity events for players' foundations, opponents often find themselves as teammates in softball, bowling, flag football and golf tournaments. Then there's social media, which allows players to keep tabs on each other without the personal contact of text messages or phone calls.

"It's actually strengthened the league," Fitzgerald said. "The competition is still great, but I don't know how it can hurt to be able to have resources like we're able to have now, to pick guys' minds and be able to find things they do well and try to implement it to your game to try to improve."

And now Fitzgerald is trying to pass what he has learned to the receivers in the Cardinals' locker room.

Rookie Chad Williams, Arizona's third-round draft pick this year, reminds Fitzgerald of Anquan Boldin because of his good hands.

"Once it touches his hands, it just doesn't move," Fitzgerald said. "He's got unbelievably strong hands. He's got deceptive speed.

"He's going to be a great help for us. I love his confidence. He's a really outgoing young man [and] has a high football IQ, which always helps."

As for Larry Clark, Fitzgerald is welcoming the undrafted free agent who shares his first name. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians finally learned Clark's last name after calling him Larry through rookie minicamp.

It took Fitzgerald 14 years to be teammates with a fellow receiver named Larry. Now that there's another, Fitzgerald joked he made sure the junior Larry knew what was expected from receivers with that first name.

"When Coach is on him and says, 'Larry, you have to do better,' I say, 'Look, we got a high standard for Larrys in this room. When they say 'Larry,' only positive things are supposed to come out of their mouths," Fitzgerald quipped.

"I give him a good time. It's been fun."