Cards Brings Boston To Town
Wide receiver David Boston, Arizona's top pick in the draft, reached a contract agreement with the team late Monday, the team announced.
Boston will get $7 million over four years, including a $3.8 million signing bonus.
Boston, who figures to team with Rob Moore and Frank Sanders to give quarterback Jake Plummer one of the top receiving trios in the league, has missed the first four days of training camp as negotiations dragged on.
The Cardinals wanted a five-year deal, Boston wanted four years with incentive clauses.
"The organization compromised on years. We compromised on the `bells and whistles,'" Boston's sister, Alicia, said late Monday.
She said the contract papers would be prepared on Tuesday and likely signed later in the day. Boston was to appear at a news conference at the team's training camp in Flagstaff on Wednesday, she said.
Boston, who broke 11 school records in three seasons at Ohio State, was to enter training camp immediately, assuming he passes his physical on Tuesday.
The team expects him to be fully recovered from a fractured left shoulder, an injury that occurred when he caught a long pass from Plummer against Corey Chaveous and tumbled hard to the ground during a Cardinals' minicamp on May 2.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pound Boston was the eighth pick overall in the draft. He averaged 120.9 yards per game in receptions last season, fifth best in NCAA Division I. He set an Ohio State single season record with 85 catches for 1,435 yards.
The Cardinals see him as a much-needed big-play receiver as well as a kick returner.
The Cardinals have yet to sign their other first-round pick, offensive tackle L.J. Shelton from Eastern Michigan. Shelton was the 21st pick overall.
The pick used to select Boston came to Arizona from San Diego as part of the trade that allowed the Chargers to draft Ryan Leaf with the No. 2 pick last year.
The Cardinals also must reach a contract agreement with Moore, who wants a multi-year pact after being declared the team's franchise player. Another holdout, defensive tackle Mark Smith, is far apart from the Cardinals in his demand for $1.2 million to $1.3 million.
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