Earlier in the offseason, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin said that he would rather retire than play for another team. Then the Ravens said they would rather have Boldin take a pay cut than be on the roster for $6 million in 2013.
Instead, the two parties mutually found a third party willing to pay Boldin his full contract in exchange for a sixth round pick. It just so happened to be the team coached by Ravens head coach John Harbaugh’s brother, Jim Harbaugh. You may or may not have heard, but the two teams also faced each other in the Super Bowl last month, with Jim’s San Francisco 49ers coming up just short.
Boldin had one of the best stretches of his career during this last postseason. In four games, he had 22 receptions for 380 yards, 17.3 yards per catch, and four touchdowns. He had six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl. He also had two touchdowns in the Ravens’ victory over the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game.
Though Boldin is most certainly entering the downside of his already impressive career, whose resume now boasts a Super Bowl trophy, he can be an immediate shot to the arm for a team as Super Bowl ready as are the San Francisco 49ers.
Having elected to move away from Randy Moss, Boldin can provide some veteran leadership in the wide receiver meeting room to help Mario Manningham and last year’s first round rookie A.J. Jenkins along. Jenkins essentially had a redshirt rookie season, seeing hardly any action at all, despite the team not being deep at receiver.
Boldin can make the tough catches and should prove to be a reliable target for young Colin Kaepernick, who flashed his potential en route to a Super Bowl appearance as a second year player after taking Alex Smith’s starting spot midway through the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Ravens have some more salary cap room to go after their own free agents, in particular linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Paul Kruger.
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