Boldin focused on football, not contract

FLAGSTAFF - It's easy to read Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

When he's content - truly content - he's loud and boisterous and his laughter fills the locker room.

When he's upset, his smile disappears and his responses are clipped and perfunctory.

So it was fairly simple to get a read on Boldin's mood Thursday after the Cardinals finished their conditioning drill at Northern Arizona University.

He's still not happy the organization has failed to renegotiate his contract. He's still not particularly close to coach Ken Whisenhunt. And he wouldn't shed any tears if he was traded tomorrow.

But unlike last July, when Boldin accused the organization of lying to him and publicly criticized Whisenhunt, he took a different tack Thursday. Whatever anger he harbors is not going to boil over.

Boldin shows up for Cardinals camp

"How I feel isn't going to change a thing, so it makes no sense to sit here and harp on it," Boldin said. ... "Honestly, it's out of my hands. Whatever happens happens. I'm here at the beginning of camp ready to play football."

That Boldin softened his remarks wasn't surprising in light of the fact he switched agents in the offseason, dumping Twitter-happy Drew Rosenhaus for Tom Condon, who prefers to work quietly behind the scenes.

More than likely, Condon advised Boldin not to cause a scene. At the same time, however, Boldin seems to understand he didn't do himself any favors last season.

He was so consumed by his contract situation that he never allowed himself to thoroughly enjoy the Cardinals' run to the Super Bowl. That was most evident when he bolted the field after the NFC championship game rather than celebrate with his teammates.

"For me I'm not going to let anybody else control my happiness," Boldin said. "That's completely on me."

Now, that doesn't mean Boldin won't erupt at some point this year. He can't be happy that safety Adrian Wilson received a new deal or that the Cardinals seem no closer to broaching a contract extension than they were last year.

Then there's his chilly feeling for Whisenhunt. This is how he put it Thursday: "It's a player-coach relationship. No more than that."

Boldin is doing the right thing by softening his tone, though. For one thing, the Cardinals have made it clear they will not reward a player who goes public with complaints about his contract. One of the reasons Wilson got a new deal - along with the fact he had just one year left on his deal - was that he showed up for work every day, played hard and never said an unkind word about the organization.

Also, Boldin already has lost the public opinion battle, particularly in an economic environment when so many people are out of work. If he continues to grouse about his contract, whatever support he has left among fans will evaporate.

No, the best thing Boldin can do is let his play speak for him. If he stays healthy, has a big season and the Cardinals still refuse to renegotiate even though he'll have only one year left on his deal, well, then he'll have every right to pop off.

Until then, however, the mute button is his best friend.