Darnell Dockett has asked for a trade, and everyone knows now. It was first reported by XTRA's Mike Jurecki, although it seems to me I heard early in the weekend ESPN's John Clayton – who has a pipeline to Dockett agent Drew Rosenhaus – might have suggested it was coming. This is news because it illustrates, with the bright lights on the Anquan Boldin complaints, how grumpy Dockett is with his situation. One significant difference, other than Dockett having three years left on his deal compared to Boldin having two, is that the Cardinals have never come out and said they will re-work Dockett's deal. Boldin at least has an argument that the Cards are on record saying they want to re-do his deal. Dockett, of course, got a five-year extension early in the 2006 season that didn't even kick in until 2007 (meaning Dockett, who was already looking for a new deal last offseason, was only one year into his extension before looking to go back to the table).

Now the leverage and circumstances don't match up, but you look at how a couple of prominent agents with prominent Cards do business differently. Eugene Parker represents Larry Fitzgerald – who cleaned up last offseason, mostly because his contract situation gave him tremendous leverage over the team – and Adrian Wilson, who is quietly biding his time waiting for an extension (even though he definitely would have liked a new deal a long, long time ago). Parker (I can say from personal experience) rarely can be reached, even for background or off-the-record talk. Rosenhaus, meanwhile, is completely the opposite. And he has moved both Boldin and Dockett to ask for trades and, if someone assumes those minicamp hamstring injuries were caused by contract concerns, probably had a hand in those players sitting out practice.

I knew, besides just his sitting out practice, that Dockett was not happy at minicamp this weekend. Ultimately, he is in the same spot as Boldin – one even tougher, actually. The Cards have mentioned wanting to do deals for Karlos Dansby and Wilson. Maybe Boldin gets consideration. Dockett isn't even on the list. Nor, with three years left, should he be.