The San Francisco 49ers haven’t ruled out the return of veteran receiver Anquan Boldin, who is still without a team as a free agent.
According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today, both the 49ers and Boldin are sorting through their options, but general manager Trent Baalke said the “door isn’t closed” on the 35-year-old receiver coming back to San Francisco for the 2016 season.
Baalke said door isn’t closed on #49ers re-signing Anquan Boldin, but both sides taking time looking at options. Likes their young WR talent
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 13, 2016
Boldin hasn’t received much interest in free agency, with a visit to the Washington Redskins back in March serving as his only reported interaction with another team.
The 49ers currently have Quinton Patton, Bruce Ellington, DeAndrew White, Dres Anderson, Jerome Simpson and DeAndre Smelter at receiver behind veteran Torrey Smith, plus sixth-round pick Aaron Burbridge. It’s a young, mostly untested group, and if the 49ers aren’t satisfied with the performance of the players behind Smith, a reach out to Boldin makes sense.
Despite upheaval and disarray at quarterback in 2015, Boldin caught 69 passes for 789 yards and four touchdowns for the 49ers. He led the team in receptions and receiving yards while playing in 14 games. In fact, he has led the 49ers in receiving yards during every season since arriving from Baltimore in 2013.
However, there typically isn’t a strong market for receivers who turn 36 years old during the next season.
Still, Boldin hasn’t declined sharply. A physical, tough receiver and the NFL’s reigning Walter Payton Man of the Year award winner, Boldin still has something to offer—both on the field and off it.
The 13-year veteran likely went into free agency looking for a chance to catch on with a Super Bowl contender. The 49ers can’t be considered a legitimate title contender in 2016—the first under new head coach Chip Kelly—but Boldin’s options are clearly limited.
It’s possible Boldin will have to wait until an injury hits in training camp to find the right fit. But if he wants to find a team before the start of minicamps, the 49ers could be his best option.
