Cards notebook: Cards tout Berry to media

[azdad1978]

By Darren Urban, Tribune

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Bertrand Berry’s big season for the Arizona Cardinals took a lighter turn this week as he arrived in town to attend some Super Bowl festivities and do some interviews on the famed "radio row."
The Cardinals were making the effort to raise Berry’s profile, going as far as to hand out biography sheets on the Pro Bowl defensive end.

Berry won’t stay for the actual game, however, leaving Florida on Saturday.

"I can’t say I will be at too many more of these; I’m not going to come unless I am invited (to play)," Berry said. "In a couple years, I am going to want to play instead of just making the rounds."

Berry also said he felt honored that he will be the first one to wear the new Cardinals logo in a game when it appears on his Pro Bowl uniform on Feb. 13.

"Hopefully it will look good on me," Berry said. "I’ve tried to stay in shape — to have a menacing bird and a pot belly, that doesn’t fit. . . . I look forward to bring in the new era."

Q’S CONTRACT

Coach Dennis Green, also in Jacksonville to do some radio interviews, said he had no concerns about the inability of the Card inals and receiver Anquan Boldin to reach an agreement on a contract extension. Boldin wants a new deal rather than just an extension.

"I just think everybody has to understand compromise is the name of the game," Green said. ". . . But you never let contract negotiations stop you. Fans gnash their teeth a lot about it, but we don’t because you are putting together a team. I don’t think New England is worried about any contracts. They are worried about winning a championship. That’s the approach we want to have."

EXTRA POINTS

Players’ association executive director Gene Upshaw sounded warning bells about the next collective bargaining agreement extension Thursday at the NFLPA’s annual press conference. The NFLPA wants the higher revenue teams to pay players a larger percentage of those revenues, and owners are resisting.

The current agreement lasts until 2007, although 2007 would be an uncapped year and Upshaw warned that if the salary cap goes away, "I can tell you the players will never go back to it again."

Upshaw said he thinks the issues can be solved before then, however. . . .

Green reiterated that the Cardinals will be "very aggressive" in free agency.
The signing period begins March 2.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=35859

 

[Russ Smith]

Hmm, Greens' comments about Quan's contract scare me a bit, given Rosenhaus is a blood sucking leach.... err tough negotiator it appears that we're offering to simply extend Quan's deal, and give him a new signing bonus, and Quan wants his original deal torn up and replaced with a better one? That's a fairly large "disagreement" to iron out by simply expecting both sides to "compromise."

I really worry about this, Greens' right nothing you can do about it but it sure has the potential to throw a huge monkey wrench in our offseason.

 

[40yearfan]

Green reiterated that the Cardinals will be "very aggressive" in free agency.

 

[Syracusecards]

Hmm, Greens' comments about Quan's contract scare me a bit, given Rosenhaus is a blood sucking leach.... err tough negotiator it appears that we're offering to simply extend Quan's deal, and give him a new signing bonus, and Quan wants his original deal torn up and replaced with a better one? That's a fairly large "disagreement" to iron out by simply expecting both sides to "compromise."

I really worry about this, Greens' right nothing you can do about it but it sure has the potential to throw a huge monkey wrench in our offseason.

I'm worried about that too. No offense to Quan, but so far he's had one proven year. When he came back this year he had quite a few dropped passes and was called for a lot of stupid penalties that had nothing to do with injury. Unfortunately, Rosenhaus will brain wash him into thinking he should get Randy Moss type money. This could get real ugly. Green vs. Rosenhaus could very easily lead to Q getting traded or Rosenhaus telling him to sit out until he's given a new contract.

 

[azdad1978]

When he came back this year he had quite a few dropped passes and was called for a lot of stupid penalties that had nothing to do with injury. Unfortunately, Rosenhaus will brain wash him into thinking he should get Randy Moss type money.

Quan false start penalties are result of him not being in game shape and maybe 85-90% healthy. He was pressing too hard. Btw Quan won't ask for Moss type money just Fitz type.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

If Boldin is demanding a 15 million + bonus and it becomes clear that he will hold out until he gets that I think the Cards need to seriously consider shipping him and getting something in return. I know I am committing Cardinal blasphemy here, but Boldin is not a gamebreaker. He has shown to be a very good, possession reciever who moves the chains. In two years the Cards are 8 and 18 with Boldin in the line-up. 26 games and 9 touchdowns.

So if we cave to Boldin's demands, what happens when Dansby gets 10 sacks next season? Or Dockett makes the Pro Bowl next season? Boldin deserves a new deal, but the Cards better be really careful how they go about doing this. Rosenhaus and Boldin can go on and on about how they deserve as much as Fitzgerald, but reality is reality. Fitzgerald was the #3 overall selection in the draft and justifiably so. 1600 yards, 20 touchdowns, 4.48 40 yard dash times usually equate to being a top draft pick. Its not Fitzgerald's fault that he went #3 overall and got that kind of money. If Boldin had ran a 4.5 during his workout he may have been a first round pick, but he didn't. He ran a 4.7 and the Cards got him with the 2nd rounder. What I am trying to say here is that using Fitzgerald's contract as leverage really shouldn't be an issue but I know that Rosenhaus will make it one. He will claim that Boldin is a more productive reciever and therefore deserves more than Fitzgerald. If that logic is true then Roy Williams needs to go to the Lions and demand more than Charles Rogers because Rogers was the #2 overall pick and got a bigger deal than Williams did.

Give Boldin a new deal, but be really careful how you structure it. We could be starting something that may get ugly.

 

[Pariah]

...Boldin is not a gamebreaker. He has shown to be a very good, possession reciever who moves the chains.

Sorry, you're wrong. Boldin IS a gamebreaker. He was the best WR in the league when he was healthy--on a crapass team...as a rookie. Go ahead, argue it. A "very good possesion receiver?" Ricky Prohel is a "very good possession receiver." Boldin is a gambreaker.

Man, we sure do have short memories around here.




The one thing that is a concern, is that he didn't play like he did in his rookie season when he came back from injury. I would bet that he will next year when he's fully healed, but I would also bet that that's the hold up in negotiations. Boldin's side is acting as if it were a blip on the radar screen and the Cards' side is saying it's more of a concern than that.

 

[az1965]

but Boldin is not a gamebreaker. He has shown to be a very good, possession reciever who moves the chains. In two years the Cards are 8 and 18 with Boldin in the line-up. 26 games and 9 touchdowns.

Sorry, Boldin is a gamebraker. Just go back and see some of last years games.

Fitzgerald was the #3 overall selection in the draft and justifiably so. 1600 yards, 20 touchdowns, 4.48 40 yard dash times usually equate to being a top draft pick. Its not Fitzgerald's fault that he went #3 overall and got that kind of money. If Boldin had ran a 4.5 during his workout he may have been a first round pick, but he didn't. He ran a 4.7 and the Cards got him with the 2nd rounder.

40 yard means $hit when comes to playing football. Boldin has shown on the field he is a franchise type of player. Did Fitz have same type of year as Boldin did his first year?

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Boldin is definately a gamebreaker anyone who thinks otherwise is

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Sorry, Boldin is a gamebraker. Just go back and see some of last years games.


40 yard means $hit when comes to playing football. Boldin has shown on the field he is a franchise type of player. Did Fitz have same type of year as Boldin did his first year?

I think you were missing the point. I agree that Boldin is a great player. I am saying that he should not be moaning and groaning that Fitzgerald got a 16 million dollar contract. Fitzgerald got a 16 million dollar contract because he was the #3 overall selection. The fact that Fitzgerald is a wide reciever means nothing. Its it the fact that he was picked #3 overall and that is why he got the deal he got. Boldin didn't show as much coming out of college and that is why he got picked in the 2nd round. If Boldin thinks he deserves a new contract, then fine he probably does. If he is pissed that Fitzgerald got 16 million then he needs to learn to deal with it. If I was GM, there is no way I would give Boldin a 16 million dollar signing bonus just because he is the best reciever on the team. The system is screwed up with teams giving top 5 picks huge deals, but unfortunately that is reality. Very few veterans get new deals that include 16 million dollar bonuses unless you are a superstar quarterback. Boldin deserves his money, but he and his agent need to face reality. Is he a great player? Yes. Is he a game changer like Moss or Owens? No way!!

 

[Syracusecards]

Quan false start penalties are result of him not being in game shape and maybe 85-90% healthy. He was pressing too hard. Btw Quan won't ask for Moss type money just Fitz type.

False starts have nothing to do with how healthy you are. It's mental. All the receiver has to do is watch the center snap the ball.

 

[Pariah]

Is he a game changer like Moss or Owens? No way!!

So, his rookie season was a fluke? Because that was a Moss/Owens-esque season, and he did it while overcoming obstacles they haven't had to--no QB, no running game, no real talent around him, and he was a rookie still learning the NFL game.

 

[joeshmo]

Maybe we have different meaning of a game breaker.

One year does not make a game breaker in my book. You have to be consistent at it for more then 1 year before you are called a gamebreaker in my book. Boldin has another half a year to go for me becuase he had a pretty good last year for still not being at full strength.

Hey I am hard on players like that. I think we throw that gamebreaker word around way to much.

I am glad the Cards are playing hard ball, or else other players will think they can do the same thing, after having one good year. Plus we are in the postition of strength in the negotiations.

Finally we need to put this, "well Fitz got paid this much", stuff to bed. It is the nature of the draft no one deserves what they get paid in the top 5. Boldin doesnt deserve what Fitz got paid beucase Fitz doesnt even deserve what he got paid, no one in the top 5 deserves what they got paid. Again it is the nature of the draft, top 5 contracts are way over inflated. Boldin better be using a different measuring stick then Fitz contract, beucase of those reasons.

 

[red desert]

Hmm, Greens' comments about Quan's contract scare me a bit, given Rosenhaus is a blood sucking leach.... err tough negotiator it appears that we're offering to simply extend Quan's deal, and give him a new signing bonus, and Quan wants his original deal torn up and replaced with a better one? That's a fairly large "disagreement" to iron out by simply expecting both sides to "compromise."

I really worry about this, Greens' right nothing you can do about it but it sure has the potential to throw a huge monkey wrench in our offseason.

I wonder if this will figure into the equation should Mike Williams or Braylon Edwards still be sitting there when we pick at number 8?

 

[Russ Smith]

If I were Rosenhaus my whole approach is simple. I walk in and ask the Cards point blank, assuming Quan is healthy next year who do you think is your best offensive player? If the answer is not Quan you then pull out a list of quotes from Graves and Green saying in effect, "when Quan gets back healthy we'll be able to better judge this offense, a lot of things we want to do are being put on hold with him gone."

The Cards will counter with "what if he's not healthy" which is a legit question, and hopefully there's some middle ground where the contract can be based on playing time so if Quan is hurt again, we get some break, and if Quan stays healthy, he gets paid.

The problem is I'm not Rosenhaus, and that's not how he thinks.

 

[joeshmo]

The Cards will counter with "what if he's not healthy" which is a legit question, and hopefully there's some middle ground where the contract can be based on playing time so if Quan is hurt again, we get some break, and if Quan stays healthy, he gets paid.

And this is exactly where I think the snag is. If we get past this I think the deal would be done fairly quickly.

 

[cardsunsfan]

[/QUOTE]Yes. Is he a game changer like Moss or Owens? No way!! [/QUOTE]
This Year
Randy Moss REC 49 YDS 767 TD 13
Owens REC 77 YDS 1200 TD 14
Last year
Quan 101 1377 8

He had the second best record as a rookie ever!!! To Moss and it was very close..and Moss, I think, had more opportunities than Quan....

 

[Russ Smith]

Yes. Is he a game changer like Moss or Owens? No way!! [/QUOTE]
This Year
Randy Moss REC 49 YDS 767 TD 13
Owens REC 77 YDS 1200 TD 14
Last year
Quan 101 1377 8

He had the second best record as a rookie ever!!! To Moss and it was very close..and Moss, I think, had more opportunities than Quan....[/QUOTE]

To be fair Quan had only 1 TD this year so using his stats last year instead of this year skews things. Remember this was a record year for TD passes.

But I think his 1 TD was largely a function of not being healthy, not having good QB play, and having an offense designed to get the ball to Fitz when we're in striking distance. not necessarily a bad thing, Fitz is remarkable at going up and getting the ball. I think if we can work out the deal we'll probably see in the future that Quan will catch more balls, and Fitz more TD's, and that may be exactly what we need.

 

[Faithful]

Boldin is definately a gamebreaker anyone who thinks otherwise is

 

[joeshmo]

He had the second best record as a rookie ever!!! To Moss and it was very close..and Moss, I think, had more opportunities than Quan....

Moss didnt have more opportunites his rookie year, he caught 32 less passes.

Boldin was number 1 in catches his rookie year, and only beat Moss in yards by something like 65 yards even though Moss had 32 less catches, and even though he had 32 less catches he killed Boldin with 17 TD's.