I'm sure we'll get more details on the situation but for now we know that Anquan Boldin talked to the media today and he didn't pull any punches. According to Darren Urban, he told the media that he has told Drew Rosenhaus to stop negotiating with the team and that he would not sign a new deal. He wouldn't say that he would demand a trade and he understands that he still has three years on his deal but he did make it clear that his days in Arizona are numbered.

"It's been going on two years, especially after last year, I was promised a new deal before the season," Boldin said. "Right now I don’t want a deal. People might think I am being funny or saying it just to say it, but for me, I’m tired of it. I wash my hands of the whole situation. My agent is under orders to not negotiate."

Here's what Boldin had say when asked how fans would react:

Boldin said he would tell them he wants a new contract “because I’ve earned it. I think my numbers speak for themselves, and they (the Cardinals) even came out publicly and said that I outplayed my contract. I mean, I don’t have to make a case to anybody about why I’m deserving of a new contract. That’s self-explanatory.”

It has nothing to do with Fitzgerald’s deal, either, he said. “Larry earned everything that he got. Honestly, he played his butt off. He deserved it.”

I'm sure we'll get the full transcript of his interview later this evening or tomorrow morning but for now, I can't imagine it being much worse. I'd still like to see him turn down a contract similar to Fitz's but we may never see that happen.

• The Steelers cut one player today, Matt Trannon a 6'6 wide reciever from Michigan State. Trannon broke a finger and missed most of the OTA's. Jim Wexell also reports that the Steelers offered Kevin Jones a one year deal for the league minimum but he chose the Bears instead. 
• Coach T is still optimistic that both Mendenhall and Sweed will be signed and in camp on time. Time is running out though considering that players report on Sunday and the first practice is on Monday. He also notes that FWP and Troy will be 100% on day one and shouldn't be limited in camp. If last year was any indication though, he'll probably give veterans like those two and Ward a handful of days off during camp.
  
• Mike Prisuta thinks that Mendenhall's biggest role this year could be finishing games the way that The Bus used to. There's no doubt that the Steelers miss the 'grind it out style' that Bettis brought to the table but I wouldn't anoint a rookie with that label just yet especially since this offensive line doesn't compare favorably to the OL that Bettis ran behind.
  
• One of BTSC's favorite writers, Dale Lolley breaks down Tomlin's pre-camp press conference (Here's a link to the entire transcript). He's not buying Tomlin's attempt to reassure fans/media about the current status of the defensive line. If Eason makes the final roster it'll be because either McBean (who's healthy and reportedly working his butt off at the facility) or UDFA, Clement failed. Tomlin also said that the team will keep an very close eye on Ryan Clark, but that right now he's back up to his playing weight and feeling great. Max Starks will start camp working at right tackle and no mention was made of Colon working elsewhere (although it's still a possibility). Foote will open camp as the starting ILB, but Timmons could already have won the ILB spot on passing downs.
  

At what point should we start to get worried about Mendy and Sweed not making it on time? Anyone encouraged by the defensive line or are they an accident waiting to happen?

We'll round out the defense today today with this breakdown of the current crop of corner backs. Considering that the pass defense was among the worst in the league last season, an improvement from this group could be the difference between another mediocre season and the post season. The same starters return but all eyes will be on a promising first round pick. Is a year of added experience and a rookie enough to get this unit over the hump though?

Roderick Hood: Hood signed a five year, $15 million dollar deal to come to Arizona in 2007, after four seasons in Philly. The former undrafted free agent stepped into his first season as a starter and posted career highs in nearly every category including tackles, passes defended and interceptions. He was the sixth most targeted corner in the league last year and ranked as the 17th most successful, according to Pro Football Prospectus. He's got solid cover skills and is a good enough tackler to be adequate in run support. Hood has enough size (5'11 198), speed and quickness to match up with most receivers in the league and his instincts are improving. He'll turn 27 midway through the season but with less than 30 career starts, we still haven't seen his best football yet.

Eric Green: Green's first full season as a starter produced.....mixed results at best. He's been slowed by injuries throughout his career and 2007 was no different. He missed the final 5 games of the season with a torn groin. He possesses the physical skills to be a decent player but has yet to develop the football instincts or consistency necessary to remain a starter. He's only managed one interception in 24 career starts and his game didn't seem to improve in 2007. After averaging just over one pass defense per start in 2006 (9 PD in 8 starts), he struggled in 2007 with just 8 passes defended in 11 starts. Green knows the situation though, this could be his last chance to prove he's a quality starter. He'll be a free agent after this season and the Cardinals have already drafted his replacement so he'll have every motivation to have a career year. Considering that he just turned 26 and has less than 25 career starts, he could be on the verge of putting it all together.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: The good news for DRC is that he won't be pushed to start by opening day or even by mid-season. The goal from him this season is just to progress and gain as much experience as necessary. While he may have had the highest ceiling of any corner in the draft, he's not 'NFL ready' by any means. 
He's working to add bulk to his slender frame (6'1 184) but he'll also to get stronger in order to handle physical receivers. His athleticism is second to none though and if he can handle the physical demands of the game, he could be a star much quicker than expected. He'll likely start the season as the nickel corner but if Green's game doesn't improve, DRC could take over before long.

Ralph Brown: Brown is entering his ninth season, second with the Cardinals, and he's a decent backup. He lacks the athleticism that you normally look for in a corner but he's developed some veteran savvy. He has good body control and decent instincts when the balls in the air. He's also a willing tackler and capable of the big hit (second on the team with forced three fumbles in 2007). He's a force on special teams and is best suited in that role.

Michael Adams: Adams is a relatively unknown commodity. He's vastly undersized (5'8 178) and inconsistent, but that's not uncommon for an undrafted free agent in his second season. He's a competitor though and at just 23 years old, he could develop into an adequate backup and contribute on special teams. He played in 7 games last season after injuries ravaged the secondary and finished with 10 tackles and a pass defended.

Marcus Brown: Brown is another undrafted free agent from a small D-1AA school but that's pretty much where the similarities between him and Adams end. Brown's got the size (6'1 200) and athletic ability (4.42 forty, 43 1/2 inch vertical) to play in this league and is versatile enough to contribute in several different areas. He led McNeese State in interceptions his senior season and was also used on punt returns at times. With the lack of depth at corner, Brown might be able to make the opening day roster if he can outperform Adams.

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The ultimate success or failure of the cornerback position could simply come down to health. If they can make it through the season with Hood, Green and DRC as the top 3 (in some order), then it has the potential to be a solid group, but injuries could cause major problems. Any significant injury to the top three could drag Antrel Rolle out of the free safety spot and the entire secondary would have to be reshuffled. Thoughts? Is this a solid group or just a house of cards that'll crumble eventually? How many games does DRC start, if any at all?

The Good News: Everyone is present and accounted for. Not only did Boldin and Dockett both show up as expected but Dockett added that he's ready to focus on football instead of his desire for a new contract. Boldin didn't meet with the media but he's expected to talk tomorrow. The other good news is that Leonard Pope and Adrian Wilson shouldn't be limited in camp.

The Bad News: The injury situation is a litlte worse that orginally anticipated. Gabe Watson's knee isn't ready to go yet but we all knew he'd be limited. He currently weighs 323, the smallest amount he's weighed since his junior year in high school, and appears to be in great shape. He's kept the weight off with a small amount of running but mostly by biking, swimming and walking. His knee though is quite a way from being 100% though and Coach Whiz even said that it would be 'tight' to get him many practice reps in training camp. Linebacker, Monty Beisel had surgery on his ailing back and will miss a couple of weeks. At one point in the past couple of weeks he had problems even sitting down but overall the injury isn't considered serious and he should be fully recovered in a couple of weeks. The other injury is undrafted free agent, Keilen Dykes. He's pulled a quad earlier and will be limited for a short amount of time. For a UDFA though a couple of practices could be the difference between the practice squad and an outright release.

Remember that the conditioning test is tomorrow and I'll update as soon as I can.

The 'centerfielders' of the defense are critical for not only preventing big plays for opposing offenses but this season they'll also be expected to produce big plays for the defense. Like most positions on the defense, the safeties look to be more talented and deeper than they were not only last season, but any season in quite some time. One position in set in stone and the other position is still in flux but either way the starter looks to be solid. The only question seems to be, just how good can this unit be?

Adrian Wilson: A-dub finished the season on the IR for the first time in his career in  2007 and the defense suffered almost immediately. The defense allowed 21.6 points per game in the 9 games that he played and 29.1 in the 7 games that he didn't. When he's healthy, Wilson can wreak havoc on opposing offenses by supporting the run, rushing the QB and defending the pass. The fact that he's only been to one Pro Bowl is proof that the system simply doesn't work. He'll turn 29 years old during the season but he's keeps himself in tremendous shape so there's no reason to think that he'll slow down anytime soon. He's also playing for a new contract this season since his contract ends after the 2009 season and it's believed that the club wants to extend him before he's allowed to hit free agency.

Antrel Rolle: The former first round pick is being moved to free safety after several up and down years at cornerback. He still has to win the job during camp but for now he's believed to be the front runner. Most scouts believe that Rolle's skill set and size (6'0 208) was always better suited to play safety and that he'll thrive at the new position. One thing is for sure, he's a play-maker and he instantly upgrades the athleticism in the secondary. If he can pick up the finer points of the position fast enough, he should be able to hold off Aaron Francisco. Having a quality safety beside Wilson should allow A-dub to free wheel more often and create even more problems for opposing offenses.

Aaron Francisco: Francisco has opened some eyes during his limited playing time the past couple of years and looks to be Wilson's main competition at free safety. He filled in for Wilson last year and averaged over 6 tackles a start. He's a big hitter who's still young (just turned 25) but already has some experience (5 starts in 3 seasons). Whether or not he wins the starting job, he'll continue to be a force on special teams. If he does win the starting job it'll be because of his physical style of play and his familiarity with the position. Francisco is signed through 2010.

Oliver Celestin: Celestin started the first four games of his career in 2007 after three seasons of playing primarily on special teams. He's not particularly athletic but he's been around long enough to play intelligent football and get by on veteran savvy. He's best suited as a backup though as he got exposed at time last year while filling in for Wilson. He's a solid special teams player and has the size (6'0 207) to deliver a big hit at times. He signed a one year contract in April of this year.

Matt Ware: Ware is versatile enough that he'll probably compete as a backup safety and at corner. He's built like a safety (6'2 214) and has already been in the league for 4 seasons despite being only 25 years old. Up until now he's played mostly on special teams but he did start a game in 2006 and recorded a career high 4 tackles. He signed a two year contract after the 2007 season.

Dennis Keyes: An undrafted free agent out of UCLA, Keyes is most likely headed to the practice squad if the Cardinals want to keep him. He's a physical player who made a name for himself in the PAC-10 as a big hitter. He's doesn't have great timed speed but he makes plays all over the field and has good instincts. Keyes was a free safety in college but I wouldn't be surprised if the coaching staff took advantage of his tackling prowess by moving him to strong safety.

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The safety position is the only unit on the defensive side of the ball that didn't have at least one addition either through the draft or free agency this offseason. Rolle moved into the position from cornerback and unless injuries ravage the position again, it should be much improved in 2008. A-dub is one of, if not the best, safety in the NFC and after a season lost to injury he should be out to prove that to the league. Is the safety position ready to dominate? Does Fransisco give Rolle a serious run for his money at free safety?

This is exactly what it sounds like: your chance to predict the 2008 NFL season for the Pittsburgh Steelers and/or the NFL as a whole. Here's the way it'll work, everyone gets five predictions. The predictions don't all have to be Steelers related and in fact none of them have to be Steelers related, if you so choose. If you think that Brett Favre is coming back and going to lead the Falcons to the Super Bowl, just say so. If you think that Jordy Nelson is going to be the Rookie of the Year, just say so. Or if you think that Bettis will come out of retirement to score the winning TD in the Super Bowl, go ahead and throw it out there.

Other rules/guidelines:

• You don't have to use this as a Community Projections for Steelers' players, we'll do projections for every major Steeler in due time (in case any missed the Santonio Holmes' or Big Ben's projection, you can still weigh in).
  
• Please try to refrain from criticizing others predictions too much, although discussion is certainly encouraged (ie - if kwoog thinks that Quinn will beat out DA for the QB job and he'll win the MVP along the way, so be it). This is just a place to put down your predictions on paper (well sorta) so that we can go back after the season and see who was right on and who was flat out crazy. 
• Have fun with this guys. Be as creative or as realistic as you want. Football is almost here and this is your chance to look into your crystal ball and pull out a gem.

The meat and potatoes of any defense is it's linebackers and most importantly the middle linebacker(s). They're expected to lead the team in tackles and be an overall leader for the defense. The Cardinals have two experienced tackling machines in the middle of their defense and the depth behind the starters should be enough to keep everyone fresh and quell any panic that should arise if a starter goes down for a game or two. This unit could have the least amount of question marks of the entire defense but are they strong enough to cover the deficiencies in other areas?

Karlos Dansby: Dansby's been a starter since his rookie season and he's gotten better every season even though he's yet to play a full 16 games. It's not a stretch to say that his best football is still ahead of him though. Everyone knows his contract status and how that should motivate him this season. Anything short of a career year would have to be judged as a disappoint. He won't top the eight sacks that he had in 2006 but he should be able to easily top 120 tackles and pick up a handful of sacks. He may not be a Pro Bowl caliber player but he's a balanced player who plays equally well against the run and pass. 

Gerald Hayes: The outside linbackers get the love and Dansby gets the pub but Hayes is the only Cardinal who had 90 tackles in each of the past two seasons. He's not flashy or dynamic but he's been consistent and reliable in his two seasons as a starter. He's a take-down tackler and excels at stopping the run and is developing as a pass rushers. As long as he's healthy you can pencil Hayes in for another season of nearly 100 tackles, a handful of sacks and a play or two that changes a game (first Seattle game). The best thing is that he's still young (27) and, like Dansby, is still getting better. He's under contract through 2011 and the Cardinals will get the best out him throughout his prime.

Monty Beisel: Beisel's the top backup and he's got plenty of experience to get the job done if the Cardinals need a spot-starter for a game or two. He's never started a full season but he's started nearly 20 games over the past four seasons and averaged nearly six tackles a start. He totaled 42 tackles in 2007 despite only starting two games and is a valuable special teams player. He's a solid tackler who is better against the run and he's at his best when running 'down hill' to the ball carrier. Beisel's entering the final year of his current contract and should be motivated to prove to the team that he'll remain a productive player into his early thirties (turns 30 next month).

Matt Stewart: Stewart signed a one year deal in the offseason and comes to the Cardinals with 60 games of starting experience with the Browns and Falcons. He's not the biggest or most athletic player in the league but he's got a great work ethic, awareness and instincts. His strength is dropping back in coverage and could see most of his playing time on passing downs. He'll get his share of time on special teams coverage units as well.

Ali Highsmith: The deck is always stacked against an undrafted free agent and while that's the case with Highsmith, there is still a chance that he could win a roster spot. If he can learn both the inside and outside backer spots, he'd have a better chance of making the team out of camp. The biggest knock on him has been his lack of both height (just under 6'0) and size (230) and he's already put on some weight from playing days (223) at LSU. He's an instinctive player though who plays faster than his forty time (4.7) would indicate. It'll be a while before we know if he can shed blocks at the professional level but for now he should be able to star on special teams.

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The Cardinals don't have a superstar at inside linebacker but they do have a talented, experienced, deep group of guys who can shut down the run and defend the pass. Their all decently young and it wouldn't be a surprise if Dansby and Hayes had career years and led a surprisingly good defensive front seven. Beisel and Stewart should star on special teams and Highsmith will open some eyes during camp.

Ok, I've been trying to avoid the topic at all costs, but we can't talk camp battles without talking offensive line. We all know who the candidates are and for the most part we know where the battles will be. One of the most visual and talked about battles along the line will be at right tackle. Tackles are relatively easy to watch during games and most fans will be watching the play of whoever lines up at right tackle. Left tackle is normally the most glamorous position on the offensive line but during training camp 2008, it might be the one that gets the least amount of attention.

The Incumbent Starter: Normally when a fourth round pick becomes a full-time starter in just his second season, he's considered an outstanding success, but that wasn't the case with Willie Colon. Colon struggled through a sophomore season and was credited with allowing the most sacks. It would be uncommon for a tackle not to allow the most sacks but Colon's struggles didn't end with pass protection either. He was often times hit or miss when run blocking and would have two or three plays in which he dominated and then a handful of plays that he looked completely lost and/or ineffective (he was my 'adopted Steeler' late in the season). Inconsistency isn't uncommon for a young starter though so there's plenty of reason to think that he can still develop into a steady and reliable starter in this league. The real question is where? Everyone from scouts to fans to the media has questioned whether Colon would be suited to play guard given his size (6'3 315) and Tomlin has admitted that he will get some reps at guard sometime (although it hasn't happened yet). The future for Colon is uncertain at right tackle but I don't think there's a question about his ability to play somewhere on the offensive line.

The Challenger: Max Starks has 34 career starts and by now most of us know what
to expect from the 6'8, 337 pound lineman. He's an absolute mauler in the running game and according to most, was the best run blocker on the team last year (Faneca included). He's even decent in pass protection, when he's in shape and motivated. The problem with that is that's a big IF. He was average to slightly above average during his first season as a starter (2005) but by most accounts he played out of shape and uninspired football in 2006 and then lost his job to Colon in 2007. Starks looked like he was playing his best football of his career in four late season starts last year when Marvel Smith went down with an injury. Starks was, as we all know, slapped with the transition tag and (for the time being) will play the 2008 season with a $6.9 million dollar price tag. While some think that it would be nothing short of ludicrous to play a backup nearly $7 million a season, in the end Coach Tomlin will likely chose whoever performs the best over the guy with the higher cap hit.

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In the end I wouldn't be surprised one bit if this battle raged all the way through the preseason and a true-starter wasn't named until Houston comes to town on September 7th. After all, Tomlin was still juggling the lineup in the final week of August last year. In my mind, if Starks shows up motivated and in shape (which he has millions of reasons to do so) he'll win the starting job and could look like the best lineman at times. I've been a fan of Colon and I don't want to see his development hindered but if they both play to their 'max potential,' Starks is the better player. If Starks steps forward as the clear cut winner early in camp, I'd look for Colon to get extended reps at both guard and maybe even center (he took reps there last year). Then things really get interesting.....but we'll look at the guard and center situation in a different thread. So who you got? Can Tomlin sit $7 million on the bench if Starks struggles? Is Colon good enough to beat him out?