News & Info/Headlines

As reported by East Valley Tribune staffer Darren Urban, head coach Dave McGinnis watched practice earlier this week when his receivers were going one-on-one with defensive backs.

Rookie Anquan Boldin went up against safety Adrian Wilson in the drill and with two quick movements, Boldin buckled Wilson’s knees, going one way for the catch while Wilson could do nothing but watch.

"That’s why we wanted him," McGinnis said. Boldin isn’t blessed with sonic speed. But his quickness has the Cards thinking they might have gotten a steal with the late second-round pick.

"That’s one of my strong points, one of reasons they have me in the slot," Boldin said. "Whenever they need to move the sticks they usually come to me, so I can make somebody miss and get the first down."

Boldin had just four catches for 44 yards in the preseason. But he has impressed coaches throughout training camp, and there was a sense the Cards scaled back his work in the exhibition games in part to hide their newfound gem. He will be a big part of the passing offense when the regular season gets under way in Detroit today.

"I don’t know if anybody outside of this organization is expecting me to do much," Boldin said. "But I want to show what I am capable of doing. I think we have a pretty good package for me to do that."

In a related item. ...

According to Arizona Republic beat man Kent Somers, Bryant Johnson, a first-round selection, has shown improvement in the past few weeks and should challenge for a starting job soon.

Kevin Kasper figures to be the fifth receiver today and will return kicks. The odd man out is Jason McAddley, who appears to be a weekly inactive for the foreseeable future.

More was expected of McAddley, a fifth-round choice last year who started eight games and caught 25 passes.

He caught just one pass in preseason and was passed by Bryan Gilmore and Johnson.

Too much might have been expected from McAddley, McGinnis said.

"What he did in the latter part of last season is he had to play a lot," McGinnis said. "He was still a rookie that we took very late that we still have to develop. Jason McAddley wasn't going to progress from that point to a Pro Bowl receiver this year in this camp."

McAddley has been hampered by a sore right ankle that will require surgery, he said. But he also dropped some passes at camp and didn't perform as well against press coverage as some of the other receivers.