Eagles can ask, but Cardinals won't trade Boldin

Trade rumors have been swirling around the Eagles, and one of the names that comes up frequently is Anquan Boldin. The star receiver for the Cardinals became the subject of rumors as soon as teammate Larry Fitzgerald signed a big contract, one that made Boldin's deal look minuscule. There has speculation since that time that the Cardinals would look to deal Boldin since he would likely ask for a new contract and they couldn't afford to keep both receivers.

Enter the Eagles, who have been desperately seeking a new weapon for Donovan McNabb. Apparently the Eagles and the Redskins have both made trade offers to the Cardinals, but Arizona has not even entertained the idea of dealing Boldin. The Cardinals aren't "interested in trading Anquan," according to their General Manager Rod Graves. The Eagles apparently offered Lito Sheppard and a high draft pick, but the Cardinals flatly refused that offer.

Of course, this is exactly what the Cardinals should say, regardless of whether or not they plan on trading Boldin. There is no reason for them to announce to the league that they are willing to trade him because that would only serve to drive down his price. You can't believe everything a GM says, especially at this time of year.

The Eagles are doing there due diligence and inquiring about every available receiver, hoping that there is a team out there willing to part with one. The have a great trading chip in Lito Sheppard that could net them what they want, but the problem is, another team has to actually want to make a trade. Just because the Eagles want an elite receiver doesn't mean they are going to get one, no matter how many times they try. We can't get mad at Andy Reid for failing to bring in a receiver because he has looked into nearly every possibility out there, even when teams have no interest in making a trade. If there was a chance a trade was going to happen, this is the likely time for it, with the draft coming up this weekend.