Tweet
The Arizona Cardinals have 10 days left before the team reports to training camp in Flagstaff, and their three top draft picks remain unsigned: first-rounders Bryant Johnson and Calvin Pace and second-rounder Anquan Boldin.
In itself, that isn’t unusual, given the state of contract negotiations around the NFL. Only one first-round pick has signed, Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer — and he agreed to terms before the draft as the No. 1 overall selection. A flat rookie pool for salaries has put a drag on all talks. Only one team, Atlanta, has fewer picks left to sign than Arizona. The Falcons have one unsigned draftee, and they also did not have a first-round pick. Ten teams have none of their draftees signed. St. Louis, for example, has not signed any of its 11 picks.
But the Cardinals have a shaky history of getting first-round picks into camp even under the best negotiating conditions.
Vice president of football operations Rod Graves, the team’s chief negotiator, remains on vacation until later this week. Graves said in early June he had every intention of having all the picks into camp on time. “I’d like to give the coaches and the team the best chance to win,” Graves said.
He also said he wanted to have Boldin signed no later than July 4.
MORE
In itself, that isn’t unusual, given the state of contract negotiations around the NFL. Only one first-round pick has signed, Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer — and he agreed to terms before the draft as the No. 1 overall selection. A flat rookie pool for salaries has put a drag on all talks. Only one team, Atlanta, has fewer picks left to sign than Arizona. The Falcons have one unsigned draftee, and they also did not have a first-round pick. Ten teams have none of their draftees signed. St. Louis, for example, has not signed any of its 11 picks.
But the Cardinals have a shaky history of getting first-round picks into camp even under the best negotiating conditions.
Vice president of football operations Rod Graves, the team’s chief negotiator, remains on vacation until later this week. Graves said in early June he had every intention of having all the picks into camp on time. “I’d like to give the coaches and the team the best chance to win,” Graves said.
He also said he wanted to have Boldin signed no later than July 4.
MORE
