What the 49ers Accomplished By Trading For Anquan Boldin

Jan 15, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) celebrates after making a catch during the second quarter of the 2011 AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans at M

Well, it finally happened.

49ers fans have been waiting patiently over the past few weeks for their team to sign a key free agent or to make a big trade, and that has finally taken place.

The San Francisco 49ers have agreed to acquire veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin from the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in this year’s 2013 NFL Draft.

Acquiring Boldin is one thing, but to snatch him from the Ravens for just one of their fifteen draft picks is remarkable. The 49ers got such a great deal and everyone in their front office deserves a big pat on the back.

By adding Boldin, the 49ers have finally added that last piece to their puzzle. We all know what the San Francisco’s defense is capable of, and their offense is very talented already, but they always seem unfinished. With Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis as Colin Kaepernick’s two main targets, they were pretty content. But adding Anquan Boldin to that mix really puts them over the edge.

Boldin, a 10-year veteran who is one of seventeen players in NFL history with at least 10,000 yards receving in his first 10 seasons, is an explosive wideout who is very dependable. He thrives off of making big catches on critical third downs, and big moments just don’t scare him.

In Super Bowl XLVII against an elite 49ers defense, Boldin erupted for 104 yards receiving on just six catches to go along with one touchdown en route to a Baltimore Ravens victory. You would think that a player who was the 49ers’ biggest enemy just a few weeks ago would not be welcomed nicely to the team, but that’s simply not the case.

Kaepernick publicly spoke out about the trade today, and he seemed to be very happy about how it all worked out.

“We need another receiver,” he said. “We have great receivers already, but he’s another great addition. I think everybody saw what he’s capable of this past year, what he did in the Super Bowl, so that’s just another playmaker on our team.”

In the NFL, it is critical for the quarterback and receivers to always be on the same page with one another. Well, it seems like Kaepernick and Boldin will gel perfectly together.

Bringing Boldin in was also huge for the 49ers in another aspect: striking back.

Earlier today, it was reported that the Seattle Seahawks had acquired the highly-coveted wide receiver Percy Harvin from the Minnesota Vikings for a first-round draft pick.

Harvin, the 4-year speedster out of the University of Florida, will undoubtedly help the Seahawks in a number of ways. He has racked up five touchdowns and 3,183 yards on kickoff returns in his young career, and will presumably take over Seattle’s special teams job that Leon Washington currently owns.

On the receiving end, Harvin has 20 touchdowns and 3,302 yards under his belt, and it helps him sport a very nice resume.

With that said, the sports world was booming about how the Seahawks were now favorites to win the NFC West and even the Super Bowl. Rightfully so, as Seattle has now put together an extremely lethal offense to compliment their torturous defense, but the 49ers were not pleased with the trade.

So what did they do? They went out and acquired one of the top free agents of the year and matched Seattle’s big move. They struck back with their own big trade to show the league that they are still the favorites to win the NFC, and that they have not gone anywhere.

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that the NFC West will now be a bloodbath between the 49ers and the Seahawks, as both franchises were able to acquire big-name wide receivers on this historic day.

The city of San Francisco must be very enthused about the new deal, and should welcome in Anquan Boldin with open arms.