Tag: Anquan Boldin (Page 12 of 20)

      Despite report, Cardinals not actively shopping Boldin

      March 13, 2009 /

      On Thursday, ProFootballTalk.com reported that the Cardinals had begun actively shopping receiver Anquan Boldin. But Arizona GM Rod Graves is denying the report.

      Anquan BoldinGeneral Manager Rod Graves denied a report by profootballtalk.com that the team is “shopping” receiver Anquan Boldin to potential trade partners.

      The report was attributed to an unnamed NFL source.

      Via text message, Graves said the Cardinals position regarding Boldin has not changed.
      Boldin first asked for a trade about a year ago, and the Cardinals have consistently said they were not interested in trading the Pro Bowl receiver. Graves, however, has left open the possibility that the team’s stance could one day change.

      Boldin has two years remaining on a four-year extension signed in 2005. That extension was worth about $23 million in new money, including $10 million in bonuses.

      Boldin recently backed off a promise never to re-sign with the Cardinals. Through his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, Boldin said he would be willing to re-sign provided an offer was forthcoming in a reasonable amount of time.

      Graves could be denying the report in order to keep trade talks on the down low, but it wouldn’t be surprising if this was just another made up report by PFT. More times than not, the site uses unnamed sources for its reports so any content from them must be taken with a grain of salt.

      NFL

      Warner expected to re-sign with Cards soon

      March 4, 2009 /

      Kurt Warner and his agent must have read my latest column because apparently the free agent quarterback is on the verge of re-signing with the Arizona Cardinals according to ESPN.com. If the deal is completed, Warner is expected to receive $23 million over the next two years.

      On Monday I speculated that Warner wouldn’t re-up with the Cards after making a free agent stop in San Francisco to talk with the 49ers. I concluded that with the departure of Todd Haley and the eventual/possible trade of Anquan Boldin, Warner might soon jettison as well.

      Uh, not so much.

      Arizona truly is a perfect fit for Warner, who led the Cards to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance last season. Losing Haley hurts, but head coach Ken Whisenhunt promoted from within and made assistant head coach Russ Grimm the run-game coordinator and wide receivers coach Mike Miller the passing game coordinator. Who knows if the split offensive coordinator duties will work, but at least Warner is familiar with the two coaches that will be devising the game plans next season.

      Assuming they do complete the deal with Warner, the Cards could turn their attention to either re-working Boldin’s contract or finding a suitable trade partner. Boldin has expressed both his desire to stay and leave, with his chief motivation being about money. The Cards will essentially have to decide whether or not they want to pony up big to keep Boldin happy (and soak a ton of money into the wide receiver position with Larry Fitzgerald already on the roster), or possibly acquire multiple draft picks in hopes to address needs on defense.

      Either way, it looks like ‘Zona will have their starting signal caller back under center next year. (Matt Leinart must be doing summersaults right now.)

      NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      NFL News and Notes: Warner likely to return, Raiders cut safety Wilson

      February 21, 2009 /

      Kurt Warner– According to Kurt Warner’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, the free agent quarterback will not retire this offseason and is likely to play in 2009. The chances of Warner returning to Arizona are very high, regardless of what happens with receiver Anquan Boldin.

      – The Raiders cut three players on Friday evening, including safety Gibril Wilson, who was given a six-year, $39 million contract by Oakland just one season ago. The Raiders also cut wide receiver Ronald Curry and defensive end Kalimba Edwards.

      – The Saints offered a second-round tender on restricted free agent wide receiver Lance Moore, who is likely to return to New Orleans next season.

      – The Dolphins have agreed to terms with right tackle Vernon Carey on a six-year, $42 million contract. The Bears were reportedly one of the teams interested in Carey if he hit the open market.

      – The Jets released tight end Chris Baker before he was due a $9 million roster bonus on March 5. The team could still re-sign him at a cheaper price, although with Dustin Keller already on the roster, bringing back Baker isn’t a must.

      NFL

      Anquan Boldin having a change of heart?

      February 19, 2009 /

      Anquan BoldinAccording to Rotoworld.com (via ProFootballTalk), Anquan Boldin is willing to stay in Arizona for the right price.

      Teammate Larry Fitzgerald owns the market with a four-year $40M deal, and Boldin probably won’t settle for much less. The Cards are eying deals with free agent Kurt Warner and franchise player Karlos Dansby. Darnell Dockett and Adrian Wilson also want raises, so it’s unclear if the club can fit Boldin in. Still, Boldin’s about-face shows that Arizona holds all the cards.

      I would take this rumor with a grain of salt because ProFootballTalk can be hit and miss with its reports. Everything comes from unnamed “league sources.”

      But let’s play along anyway.

      Boldin could have realized that the Cardinals had no trade leverage if he continued to squawk about how the situation was irreparable in Arizona. So he decides to play it cool and maybe both he and the team can get what they want in the end.

      Or maybe he really is willing to return to the dessert at the right price. Either way, this situation is only starting to get interesting.

      NFL

      Warner, Cardinals to begin talking soon about new contract

      February 13, 2009 /

      Although Arizona Republic contributor Kent Somers writes that Kurt Warner and the Cardinals could begin discussing a new contract as early as this week, he also doesn’t squash the idea that Warner could still retire this offseason.

      Kurt WarnerI think it’s a mistake, however, to view that as a definitive sign that Warner isn’t retiring. Warner has said there are a number of factors to consider in making the decision, and I think he’ll weigh all of them before making a commitment.

      Warner has said several times that one of the most important factors will be how interested the Cardinals are in having him back. And there’s no better way to gauge that interest than seeing what the team is willing to offer in a new contract. That’s what Bartelstein is doing now. It would be silly for Warner to say he wants to play again, only to find the Cardinals are offering far below what he thinks is fair.

      Another factor in Warner’s decision will be assessing the team’s determination to keep its core of talented players. He is also curious about Ken Whisenhunt’s plans for the offensive coaching staff. Warner was close with coordinator Todd Haley, now the Chiefs coach. Jeff Rutledge, the quarterbacks coach, has been fired. How Whisenhunt fills those spots will factor in Warner’s decision. It might not be a huge part of it, given that Whisenhunt is going to call plays, but it will have an impact.

      Money, too, will play a part. Warner and his wife Brenda do a lot of charity work through their foundation, First Things First, and he’s told me before that he won’t have problems staying busy in retirement. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him on television, either. But there’s nowhere else he can make the kind of money the Cardinals likely will pay him — $8 million to $10 million a year.

      Even with all the potential factors that Somers highlighted in his article, I think we’ll see Warner back in a Cardinal uniform for at least another year. It has to be tough for a player to taste another Super Bowl, not win it and then retire in the offseason, especially when it’s a top competitor like Warner. I bet we see a deal get done early in the free agency period.

      NFL

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