In an unsurprising Chad Johnson-like turn of events, Arizona Cardinals' star wide receiver Anquan Boldin is reportedly seeking a trade from the team after contract negotiations stalled midway through training camp.
According to several sources, Boldin's agent Drew Rosenhaus (yes, Drew Rosenhaus) had already asked for a new contract shortly after fellow wideout Larry Fitzgerald signed a four-year, $40 million contract last spring. By the time training camp opened, however, Boldin still had no deal and blamed the Cardinals' officials for not making good on promises of restructuring a contract extension he signed three years ago.
Under his current contract, Boldin is making $4 million a year, while Fitzgerald is making $10 million. Boldin was reportedly seeking a contract equal to or more than that of Fitzgerald's.
Now, Boldin and Rosenhaus have made it clear that he no longer wants a new contract. He wants to leave the team.
Acording to sources, Boldin wants out because he believes that the team is not serious about renewing his contract and his unhappiness makes it hard for him to go to work every day. Rosenhaus has already asked the team to to trade Boldin.
However, the Cardinals, like the Bengals before them, are not only refusing to deal him, but are also still hopeful that a new contract will get done. According to several reports, their last offer was worth half the money of Fitzgerald's, but that is way out of Boldin's range.
Boldin's displeasure with the team, however, is twofold. He is not only unhappy with his current contract situation and how the team has handled it, but he is also at odds with his coach, Ken Whisenhunt, who he says became too involved in contract negotiations.
"At this point we have no relationship, and I don't see that changing," Boldin told NFL Network on Monday. "It's just gotten to a point where I think lines were crossed. If you ask me, coaches should be coaches, management should be management, and I don't think those lines should be crossed. But when you cross those lines, you put yourself in position for things like this to happen."
It is still entirely possible that Boldin will walk out of Cardinals' training camp, although that would subject him to fines of $15,000 a day. The team, it seems, may not be prepared to go that route, and his doing so could eventually lead to a trade before the regular season starts.
Right now it all makes for good speculation as anything can still happen in the two and a half weeks before Opening Day. Part Two: How Does this Affect the Eagles?
9 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Tom Highway 10 months ago
Good read, Michoel!
Very well done editorial!
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Michoel Botwinick 10 months ago
Glad you liked it, Tom!
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Ronald Glover 10 months ago
I would send Reggie Brown and one of those 2nd round picks for Boldin. Ok, Maybe just the 2nd rounder.
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Tanner Kluth 10 months ago
I'm sick an tired of good players coming to the NFC East. If he gets traded, IT BETTER NOT BE TO THE EAGLES.
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Michoel Botwinick 10 months ago
Same feelings here, Tanner. It is kind of exasperating to hear all the big name players going to the Cowboys. But remember, you guys got Jason Taylor. So if he did come to us, let us have our moment of glory, eh?
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Tanner Kluth 10 months ago
I suppose you're right. But the one major thing the Eagles are missing is an elite receiver.
I really don't want that void to be filled! :)
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Michoel Botwinick 10 months ago
Yeah, I see where you're coming from! LOL
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Ted Choate 10 months ago
Great read.
What the heck is Whiz thinking here?
NFL coaches ask their players to play hurt and to push themselves beyond their limits.
...and the players like Q always respond.
Coaches typically feel indebted to these types of players and are more than happy to see them rewarded.
They always want the players to feel that they are on their sides.
Only an arrogant simp of a coach would get involved in a situation where the player might end up thinking that the coach had a role in beating him down on his contract.
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Michoel Botwinick 10 months ago
Thanks, Ted!
I actually didn't know so much about "Whiz" until I started doing researching for this article, but I completely agree with you that he handled the situation the wrong way.
...Especially if Boldin would go as far as to publicly distance himself from him.
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