Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin has a laugh during Friday's minicamp-opening practice at the team's Tempe facility.
After the Cardinals' first minicamp practice, Anquan Boldin was lying on the floor, head resting in his locker, reading Tony Dungy's best-selling book.
The wide receiver, in search of a new contract, didn't look like a guy upset and wanting to be moved to another team, and he didn't sound like one either.
"I don't want to be traded," said Boldin, who sat out Friday with a sore hamstring. "I woke up one morning and saw (reports) I was disgruntled, saw I was done with the organization, saw I wanted to be traded, after not talking to nobody. It is what it is, but it's funny to me."
Boldin isn't the only player with ongoing contract concerns. Defensive lineman Darnell Dockett, who, through his agent, as let the team know he would like a new contract, did practice but did not appear in the locker room during the interview period. Safety Adrian Wilson, still rehabbing from foot surgery, is keeping a low profile.
Linebacker Karlos Dansby, signed under the one-year franchise tender offer, said he wasn't sure if a long-term deal could be worked out before the July 15 deadline but consistently answered contract questions by saying he is concentrating on football right now.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt said he was not concerned about the contract situations hurting the team, calling it all "part of the business."
"As much as you would like to, you can't do everybody('s contract) at once," Whisenhunt said.
Running back Edgerrin James noted that no matter what the issues, everybody on the roster showed up to the mandatory minicamp.
"Hey, it'll keep it exciting," James added with a smile. "Everything will work out. You don't see one team where everything is going good. If everything was going good, I'd probably be scared. I love a little controversy. You love to come to work because you don't know what to expect."
That was true Friday, with Boldin not only saying he didn't ask for a trade but also saying he didn't think his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, did either. The Cardinals had previously said Rosenhaus had suggested a trade, but only after the issue was leaked to national reporters anonymously.
Friday, general manager Rod Graves declined to get into specifics about the situation again, saying "Anquan is as good of a person as he is a football player."
Boldin, who said he preferred to keep his business out of the media, sounded like he wanted to let the issue die away himself.
"I have always wanted to be in Arizona," Boldin said. "This is the only place I have known professionally and I don't want to uproot my family. I have a great rapport with everyone around here, coaches included. I am happy here."
RODGERS-CROMARTIE GETS STARTED
First-round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie did as promised before his first practice Friday, putting his helmet on his head and taking in the moment as a new NFL player. Even before that, "I kept looking the little Cardinals symbol (on the helmet) and thinking, 'This is for real, now.' "
Rodgers-Cromartie did get burned once by second-year wideout Steve Breaston on a touchdown bomb, but he did make a nice play on Breaston in the afternoon session.
"It was a long day, there was a lot of things to get down, technique-wise," Rodgers-Cromartie said.
INJURY REPORT
Besides Boldin, a handful of players did not work Friday with various injuries or surgery rehabs. Among the players still recovering from surgery were Wilson (foot), tackle Elton Brown (knee), nose tackle Gabe Watson (knee), receiver Ahmad Merritt (ankle), tight end Leonard Pope (ankle) and defensive end Bertrand Berry (triceps muscle). Also sitting out were tight end Troy Bienemann (foot) and rookie Jason Banks (heart arrhythmia). Banks did do some things in the afternoon.
Contact Darren Urban at askdarren@cardinals.nfl.net. Posted 5/2/08.
