Larry Fitzgerald Might Take Pay Cut to Keep Anquan Boldin

Anquan Boldin's current contract doesn't expire until after next season, but ever since Larry Fitzgerald signed a four-year, $40 million deal, he's been unhappy. This past offseason, he continually pressed the organization for a raise. When that didn't work, he pushed them to pursue a trade. The Cardinals held steadfast in their position that they really didn't have to do anything, and Boldin eventually fell in line.

With the fallout from the Cardinals win over the Eagles in the NFC Championship, though, everyone with a brain can foresee the Cardinals having the same issues this offseason with Boldin.

Fitzgerald, for one, really wants Boldin to stay. In fact, ProFootballTalk is reporting that Adam Shefter told them Fitzgerald is willing to restructure his deal so the Cards have enough money to retain Boldin. Far be it for me to make the judgment as an outsider, but which guy seems like a better friend and teammate: the one who cries and whines when he realizes the other one -- who is clearly better -- is making more money, or the one who is willing to give back some of the money he earned just to make the other happy?

Regardless, it probably doesn't matter what Fitzgerald wants to do.

But while Fitzgerald is reportedly willing, there might not be many options. As the NFL embarks on the last capped year of the current labor agreement, the old tricks like guaranteeing a huge chunk of current-year salary and spreading the cap hit over time won't apply. Thus, short of a reduction in dollars due and payable to Fitzgerald in 2009, with no guarantee that he'll make up the difference in 2010 or beyond, Fitzgerald can't really help to solve the problem.

With Steve Breaston in house, the smart money is on the Super Bowl being the last game Boldin, the three-time Pro-Bowler, plays for Arizona.

May I suggest Chicago as a destination?