One Problem with re-doing Boldin's deal...

[mdsisquo]

If we give him big $$$ before his contract expires because he is playing well, what does that do to the other players we have in a similar situation. I could see the players like Dockett and Dansby doing the same thing. We'd really be opening the gates to players we draft after the first round who become studs before their contract expires.

I love Boldin and I want him to be a Cardinal for life, but it's hard to just give him a new deal before the one he signed has expired. I have no idea what to do. I'd probably say wait until it is finished, but that's just me.

 

[Shane]

If we give him big $$$ before his contract expires because he is playing well, what does that do to the other players we have in a similar situation. I could see the players like Dockett and Dansby doing the same thing. We'd really be opening the gates to players we draft after the first round who become studs before their contract expires.

I love Boldin and I want him to be a Cardinal for life, but it's hard to just give him a new deal before the one he signed has expired. I have no idea what to do. I'd probably say wait until it is finished, but that's just me.

Thats the life of the NFL. If a player is a stud and demands a new deal then how can you blame really blame him? Especially considering the average service life of an NFL player.

Anyone who truly believes that Boldin who caught as many catches as Fitz last year in about 1/2 the games deserves to be paid about 10 times less really isnt looking at the whole picture IMO!

 

[john h]

If we give him big $$$ before his contract expires because he is playing well, what does that do to the other players we have in a similar situation. I could see the players like Dockett and Dansby doing the same thing. We'd really be opening the gates to players we draft after the first round who become studs before their contract expires.

How many Cardinals have we had for life in the last 15 years?

l

 

[john h]

Thats the life of the NFL. If a player is a stud and demands a new deal then how can you blame really blame him? Especially considering the average service life of an NFL player.

Anyone who truly believes that Boldin who caught as many catches as Fitz last year in about 1/2 the games deserves to be paid about 10 times less really isnt looking at the whole picture IMO!

Boldin has a certain value beyond which we should not negotiate. Management has a feel for that number and in the end will not move beyond it. Boldin or another receiver? Doubt it is the difference between playoffs and not. A QB can be a real difference. With our QB play last year it would make no difference who was trying to catch the ball. Facts are there are good receivers coming out of the draft every year. The good QB's are few and in between. I want to Boldin to stay an recognize he had "One" great year. It is not time to anoint him as some sort of saviour at this point in his career. As I often say the longer this goes on the less likely he is going to get a new contract. Clearly he wants more $ and years than the Cards think he is worth or it would be a done deal. The question then becomes will he hold out??? When someone says sign/extend him please indicate just how much we should sign him for and how long should we give him a new contract for. Jake Plummer and his big deal put us behind the eight ball for some years. We do not need another one of those when we seem to be making some progress.

 

[JeffGollin]

If we give him big $$$ before his contract expires because he is playing well, what does that do to the other players we have in a similar situation. I could see the players like Dockett and Dansby doing the same thing.
Maybe I'm wrong, but my gut tells me that it is that kind of thinking that has earned the Bidwills the reputation for being "cheap" and the Cardinals for being archaic in their treatment of players.

Each case is unique. In Boldin's case, the feeling among many is that he played better than he was initially paid and some sort of injustice was being served. Remember that Q broke all kinds of rookie records and (uncharacteristic of Cardinal players) went to the Pro Bowl in his rookie year

I don't know if this is quite the case for Dockett and Dansby. They played very well as rookies, but didn't rank among the top players at their respective positions (yet).

Free agency has brought with it a fact of life. If you want to build around a core of very good players, you'd better pay 'em or you'll lose them. It's one thing for teams who've won something to hang tough by jettisoning players they feel they can't afford to pay. But the Cardinals haven't done anything yet.

Final point: I sense a degree of outrage by some on this board - not over something we know as fact but over what fans & media are speculating about Anquan's position re compensation. Pretty unfair in my opinion.

 

[BigRedMO]

If we give him big $$$ before his contract expires because he is playing well, what does that do to the other players we have in a similar situation. I could see the players like Dockett and Dansby doing the same thing.
Maybe I'm wrong, but my gut tells me that it is that kind of thinking that has earned the Bidwills the reputation for being "cheap" and the Cardinals for being archaic in their treatment of players.

Each case is unique. In Boldin's case, the feeling among many is that he played better than he was initially paid and some sort of injustice was being served. Remember that Q broke all kinds of rookie records and (uncharacteristic of Cardinal players) went to the Pro Bowl in his rookie year

I don't know if this is quite the case for Dockett and Dansby. They played very well as rookies, but didn't rank among the top players at their respective positions (yet).

Free agency has brought with it a fact of life. If you want to build around a core of very good players, you'd better pay 'em or you'll lose them. It's one thing for teams who've won something to hang tough by jettisoning players they feel they can't afford to pay. But the Cardinals haven't done anything yet.

Final point: I sense a degree of outrage by some on this board - not over something we know as fact but over what fans & media are speculating about Anquan's position re compensation. Pretty unfair in my opinion.

Excellent post. If the Cards are going to change their reputation and become a respectable NFL team they cant keep on letting talent get away. Paying Boldin what he is worth is more important than paying big money to new FAs as a signal to players that the team wants to win. It tells players that if they do play for the Cards they will be taken care of.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

Mdsisquo...this is an outstanding point you are making. Jeff, I understand your point about the perception of the Bidwills being cheap, but let's remember what happened the last time the Cardinals elected to re-negotiate a player's contract after his second season. It was Jake Plummer, coming off a playoff appearance and win in '98. Jake cashed in...while DT Mark Smith who deserved his own re-negotiation (Smith was a late draft pick...second day...I believe 6th or 7th round...dropped because of injury concerns...and was playing like a 1st or 2nd rounder his first two years with the Cardinals) was denied and even humiliated by the Cardinal front office. This caused an off-season of complete acrimony...and as we know...Jake played horribly from that point on...Smith went into the tank...and the morale of the whole team hit rock bottom.

The Bidwills should expect ALL players to honor their current contracts...and if they have to slap the franchise tag on Boldin in two years, so be it. Boldin will cash in very handsomely at that point. Meanwhile, there won't be controversies surrounding the contracts of other young standouts...like Danby's and Dockett's, as john h so aptly points out.

The Cardinals have shown loyalty to players who have played well for the club...and have rewarded them well at contract time. That's what the good, young players need to know most.

 

[BigRedMO]

The Bidwills should expect ALL players to honor their current contracts...and if they have to slap the franchise tag on Boldin in two years, so be it. Boldin will cash in very handsomely at that point.

The franchise tag is not used much anymore because it is perceived by the players as a way to retain a player and not pay him his true market value. A happy player/employee plays hard. An unhappy player/employee only does what he has to while he is looking for another job. To point out Plummer as a reason not to renegotiate is like saying thet if you have one bad date you will never date again. Same logic could be said for drafting a running back or QB in the draft. To me Boldin is the true test to see if the Cards want to win. The team has two players who have played in Pro Bowls the past two years. Those player's peers in the NFL think they are the best in the league. Those are the kinda guys the Cards have to keep just like in pre free agent days they kept pro bowler WRs Gray, Green and Tilley,

 

[Shane]

The franchise tag is not used much anymore because it is perceived by the players as a way to retain a player and not pay him his true market value. A happy player/employee plays hard. An unhappy player/employee only does what he has to while he is looking for another job. To point out Plummer as a reason not to renegotiate is like saying thet if you have one bad date you will never date again. Same logic could be said for drafting a running back or QB in the draft. To me Boldin is the true test to see if the Cards want to win. The team has two players who have played in Pro Bowls the past two years. Those player's peers in the NFL think they are the best in the league. Those are the kinda guys the Cards have to keep just like in pre free agent days they kept pro bowler WRs Gray, Green and Tilley,

 

[BACH]

is like saying thet if you have one bad date you will never date again. QUOTE]
Nice metafor....

 

[overseascardsfan]

Thats the life of the NFL. If a player is a stud and demands a new deal then how can you blame really blame him? Especially considering the average service life of an NFL player.

Anyone who truly believes that Boldin who caught as many catches as Fitz last year in about 1/2 the games deserves to be paid about 10 times less really isnt looking at the whole picture IMO!

Here is the point: Boldin signed a contract. He has two years left on it. He should keep quite and play and I'm sure the Cardinals will reward him, hell if Raynoch Thompson got an extension I'm sure Boldin can in due time. It isn't Fitzgerald's fault Boldin was a second rounder and he was a top three pick.

 

[8ndkorner]

Here is the point: Boldin signed a contract. He has two years left on it. He should keep quite and play and I'm sure the Cardinals will reward him, hell if Raynoch Thompson got an extension I'm sure Boldin can in due time. It isn't Fitzgerald's fault Boldin was a second rounder and he was a top three pick.

Excellent arguments for both sides of the issue here. But my gut tells me that overseascardsfan makes the stronger point at least from a legal binding point of view.

The Cards organization's public perception of being cheap is the result of the rest of the NFL caving in. The man signed the contract. It looked fair to him at that time. If he sucked in his rookie year could the Cards renegotiate? Of course not. Now the organization may look at it after year 1 and say "dang, we need to lock this guy up" if they wish. That shows the team that they want to win and will do what is needed to keep these players. They did not. But most likely because they had too many holes to fill.

I hope they can do something to keep Q on the team. Especially since signing Warner. I want to see him making use of the 3 wide receiver sets we were promised last season. And I'm sure he wants Quan in there.

One more thing I'd like to see is Q back at the slot. But that is material for another thread.

 

[Shane]

Here is the point: Boldin signed a contract. He has two years left on it. He should keep quite and play and I'm sure the Cardinals will reward him, hell if Raynoch Thompson got an extension I'm sure Boldin can in due time. It isn't Fitzgerald's fault Boldin was a second rounder and he was a top three pick.

The point is that Boldin has proven he is more talented than a 2nd rounder and should be in line for a raise. This is common practice in the NFL and smart business. You keep your players(especially the talented ones) happy.

That way when their contract is up they dont leave to another team out of bitterness. It wont hurt the Cards at all to give this guy a fair extension. They know that. Thats why we see them negotiating.

Of course the CArds hold advantage. But why make that your bargaining chip?

 

[manglepup]

Agreed

 

[john h]

If we give him big $$$ before his contract expires because he is playing well, what does that do to the other players we have in a similar situation. I could see the players like Dockett and Dansby doing the same thing.
Maybe I'm wrong, but my gut tells me that it is that kind of thinking that has earned the Bidwills the reputation for being "cheap" and the Cardinals for being archaic in their treatment of players.

Each case is unique. In Boldin's case, the feeling among many is that he played better than he was initially paid and some sort of injustice was being served. Remember that Q broke all kinds of rookie records and (uncharacteristic of Cardinal players) went to the Pro Bowl in his rookie year

I don't know if this is quite the case for Dockett and Dansby. They played very well as rookies, but didn't rank among the top players at their respective positions (yet).

Free agency has brought with it a fact of life. If you want to build around a core of very good players, you'd better pay 'em or you'll lose them. It's one thing for teams who've won something to hang tough by jettisoning players they feel they can't afford to pay. But the Cardinals haven't done anything yet.

Final point: I sense a degree of outrage by some on this board - not over something we know as fact but over what fans & media are speculating about Anquan's position re compensation. Pretty unfair in my opinion.

Jeff, clearly there is a problem in getting a new contract or else we would have one by now. There is some amount (I do not know what) that the Cards feel they cannot exceed and Boldin has some amount he thinks he is worth. Either they can arrive at something that works for both of them or Boldin either will be traded or play out his contract. If he wants some really big $ he will be hard to trade as many teams just like the Cards have limits as to what they can pay. We also have to consider that injury last year. Only Boldin and the Cards to some extent know just what the outcome of this injury could mean. I am certainly one who has complained about the Cards not keeping their good player. I do not think any of us know what Boldins demands are so it is hard to just say give him a new contract. What if he wants $20 mil up front guaranteed and a 5 yr deal at $10 mil a year? We have only so much money and like any business we have to live within our means. I think the Cards are probably trying to reach a deal with him and are not like the old Cards who refused to even negotiate until the contract is up. I do not come down on the side of management often but in this case I want to hear Boldins demands before I critisize the organization. On top of all this Boldin had one good/great year. It is no lock that he will repeat this year after year. I think it would be fair to let him play this year under his current contract and if he has another all star year then break the bank next year if you have to. Every dollar we spend on him is a dollar we do not spend on another player. As many point out this is a bad precedent to set for obvious reasons. A John Elway could do things like this and have his way but a wide receiver even one like Randy Moss can not get away with it as wide receivers can be replaced.

 

[BigRedMO]

So if we let Boldin get away I guess that means the Cards wasted another of the many draft picks, this team has wasted over the years, on him in the first place or the Fitzgerald pick was a waste since it was obvious to me the outrageous salary would cause this exact scenario. The Cards will never be good if thet cant retain their talent. There are too many names to list here but we are all aware of the former Cards playing for other teams. Those were players that were developed here. So are the Cards just going to be the minor leagues for the other teams?