Anquan Boldin: Will the Cardinals Desert the Contract He Deserves?

Before the 2008-2009 season started, the Arizona Cardinals supposedly promised Anquan Boldin a new contract.  A contract that presumably would have given him more than he is making now, with a dollar value more representative of his talent in relation to other wide receivers in the NFL.

Instead, the Cardinals decided to give his teammate, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, a new four-year deal worth $40 million. They forgot about their promise to Boldin and, in doing so, caused a major rift between him and the organization throughout the season.

Legally, Boldin has no recourse against the Cardinals for their preseason contract promise. Boldin is currently in the middle of a four-year contract worth $22.75 million, and the Cardinals have no obligation to restructure that based on a loose promise.

However, by not doing so, they may have burned the bridge between the two sides, as far as any future contract negotiations are concerned.

Meanwhile, Boldin will have to live up to the contract if he wants to get paid. Before the season, he promised that he would not allow the contract issues to get in the way of how he approached the season and how he would play. 

He held up that promise as he finished the season with 89 receptions, 11 touchdowns, and 1,038 yards.  Those numbers put Boldin at just seven receptions, one touchdown, and 300 yards short of Fitzgerald—in four fewer games. 

Does that make him worth almost $20 million less? I don’t think so, and I think the Cardinals could patch things up with a lucrative contract offer. After all, we’re talking about the fastest wide receiver in NFL history to reach 400 receptions, doing it in just 67 games.

We’re talking about the guy who was the center of the Cardinals offense for the meat of the games this season and helped secure their playoff berth. He had 10 catches for over 100 yards before breaking his face in Week Four against the Jets. 

He came back just three weeks later and continued right where he left off. In those next five weeks he scored six touchdowns while catching 46 passes for 513 yards. The Cardinals clinched their division two weeks later.

The following week, Boldin hurt his leg, which forced him to miss the final two games of the season. He worked his way back for the first round matchup against Atlanta, but tweaked the leg again on an impressive 71-yard touchdown run. Boldin managed to be ready for the following week’s game, the NFC Championship against Philadelphia, but saw limited action.

Near the end of the game, with the Cardinals down a point, Boldin was benched for more than half of the team’s remaining plays, including their game-winning drive. It was during that time that Boldin was seen getting in a shouting match with offensive coordinator Todd Haley. After the win, Boldin did not celebrate with the team and bolted.

Boldin and the team called the situation “nothing,” but the media blew it way out of proportion. What's unfortunate is that the tirade is not representative of Boldin's behavior, but NFL fans and writers didn't see it that way.

For the entire season, Boldin played his tail off for an organization that seemed to take him for granted. His numbers are very similar to Fitzgerald’s, yet he is paid less money.

Boldin's teammates and coaches all believe he is one of the better team-oriented players in the league and works just as hard as anyone. So why doesn’t Arizona offer him the same money?

Personally, I think they had second thoughts when he was already under contract. There was no reason to carry through with such a promise, other than as a matter of principle and to appease Boldin and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

Remember, Rosenhaus is the same super-aggressive agent that represents Terrell Owens. He has a reputation for requesting figures for his clients which are above their market value, and I’m sure the Cardinals were well aware of that. 

Boldin’s numbers were significantly less than Fitzgerald’s the year before and, once the season began, I’m sure contract negotiations were the last thing they wanted to deal with...especially since Boldin was involved in what appeared to be a very serious injury in the fourth week. It was no longer reasonable to go out and make any contract negotiations at that point.

That being said, the Cardinals saw how Boldin reacted to the adversity this season. He has been injured on and off the field and still managed to have a year statistically comparable to Larry Fitzgerald.

Boldin has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches for being a team player and a hard worker even though he knows he should have a contract similar to Fitzgerald’s.

Here is one testimonial taken from a recent ESPN article:

“I’m sure this season has been bittersweet for Anquan,” Cardinals defensive end Bert Berry said, “I’m sure he felt like he deserved the kind of money that Fitz got, but Anquan always has been a team guy. We’ve seen the way he’s responded to challenges, and we also know we’re a better team whenever he’s on the field.”

Based on Anquan's character thoughout the season, I doubt his conflict with the offensive coordinator and organization will have any impact next season. Boldin will certainly do his part. The question is whether or not Arizona will do its part.

Do they desert his desire for a new contract or offer him that Fitzgerald-esque contract? What do you think?

This article can also be seen at: National Sports and Entertainment Law Society