Whisenhunt on Boldin, Leinart

Here's a leftover conversation from the NFL Owners meetings at Dana Point earlier this week that I had with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt.

I started off by getting his blood pressure up, telling him I was still waiting for the booth review on the last play in the Super Bowl. From there, Wis launched a quietly smoldering but off-the-record offensive about how many things played out in that game.

Then we talked about his wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who has agitated for first a trade now either a trade or an extension. Boldin's signed through 2010. The Cardinals were reported to be

"Nothing's changed from what we said," Whisenhunt intoned. "We recognize Anquan is an important player on our football team and we're working to get a deal done. That's our focus. He's got two years left and we said we'd try to get something worked out the first opportunity we had."

Asked what kind of relationship he has with Boldin, Whisenhunt said, "I've never had any issues with Anquan. He's worked hard, he's done exactly what he said he'd do, he's played at a high level."

As for Leinart, who is pretty much locked into the backup's role with Kurt Warner coming back, Whisenhunt says he continues to be impressed with the arc of his maturity.

"I know he learned a lot last year watching Kurt and the success he had. But the thing that impressed me recently was when someone asked him if he was disappointed that Kurt had been re-signed and he said, 'No.' That to me is light years ahead of where he's been because he recognizes what he can learn from Kurt and that he'd rather not get the job because Kurt left."

Leinart is signed through 2011. However, if he doesn't get on the field and prove he's a legitimate NFL quarterback before then, his contract - which currently carries a salary of $7.36 million in 2011 - will certainly be revisited before then.