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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Kurt Warner slipped through the summer without much notice. Yes, Warner finished strong last season, leading the NFL in touchdown passes over the final eight games. But the Cardinals were trying to develop Matt Leinart as their starting quarterback. Bragging up Warner would have been inappropriate under the circumstances.

Now that Warner is starting, his strong play is attracting the attention. I caught up with him on a conference call Wednesday and asked about his receivers and his relationship with offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald combined for 12 receptions and 293 yards against the Dolphins in Week 2, an indication Warner wasn't blowing smoke when he talked about each player working to improve.

Warner on Boldin: "I think since I've been here, Anquan has been a pretty solid receiver across the board. Probably, of the two, probably the best all-around receiver that we have. But the thing about Anquan is that even with that and being a solid guy and having some of the stats, he just continues to work every day and continues to try to get better and we're out there talking and we're trying to get on the same page. He is asking me what I see and I'm asking him what he's thinking and I see him trying to continually get better mentally."

Warner on Fitzgerald: "I think, mentally, Larry is working a lot on routes. We know he is phenomenal to the football and you put the football up in the air and he is probably as good as there is in the NFL at going and getting and making plays in that way. Where he is really trying to get better is understanding the big picture of what we're trying to do with certain plays and then trying to get a better understanding of how to run certain routes, how to attack different coverages or different techniques at the corner position. So he cannot only win by athleticism but learn to win based on how he attacks somebody. And I think that is where he is really striving to try to get better and you see improvement every year."

I'll get into the stuff about Warner and Haley in another post. Their relationship is a key to Warner becoming a smarter player in terms of protecting the football. Also, Warner appreciates the way Haley tailors game plans to make him more comfortable.

One final note on the Cardinals' receivers: Steve Breaston's development as the third receiver is an offseason story line that could pan out. Last season, the Cardinals held their breath when the ball went Breaston's way. This season they expect him to make the play.

Breaston replaces former Cardinals receiver Bryant Johnson, who caught 46 passes for 528 yards with Arizona last season. Breaston, with four catches for 72 yards in two games, is on pace for 32 receptions and 576 yards.