Anquan Boldin is preparing to enter free agency this offseason. There was a time when many did not think the current San Francisco 49ers wide receiver would even take the field this year after toying with retirement in 2012. However a successful season in 2013 has him thinking otherwise.
Boldin hinted on Twitter that he plans on re-signing with the 49ers in the offseason instead of testing his value on the free agent market. Boldin tweeted, "Thank you @49ers fans for embracing my family and I during our first year in San Francisco. You support this year was amazing. Your commitment to our team speaks volumes and I am very proud to call myself a 49er."
That sounds like a guy that intends on remaining one of Colin Kaepernick's favorite targets for a few more years. The veteran had 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns this season as he proved to be a reliable threat in place of Michael Crabtree who spent most of the year injured.
It is important to remember that Boldin has considered retirement in the past if the team he intends on playing for does not keep him. The receiver was under contract with the Baltimore Ravens. He was well-aware that he might be cut if he refused to reduce his salary. Boldin told Pro Football Talk that if the Ravens cut him, he was retiring. The end result was Boldin refusing a $2 million salary reduction and accepting a trade to the 49ers where he would make his full $6 million owed.
"For me that's not something that I worry about," Boldin told Erik Kuselias of Pro Football Talk. "I think you go out and let your play speak for itself. You deal with that if you have to, but, I think for m - I know for me - Baltimore is the only place I want to play. It's the last place that I will play. For me, I'll retire a Raven, I'm not putting on any other uniform."
It is unclear what the 49ers intentions are with Boldin. The team would be set up with a Crabtree/Boldin tandem if the re-sign him. The issue could be salary cap space. Colin Kaepernick is preparing to enter the final year of his rookie contract. A loss in the NFC championship game throws off negotiations for him since San Francisco must determine just how much he is worth.
Crabtree will also be seeking a new contract before he hits free agency in 2015. The wide receiver is set to earn $3.5 million in his final year and is considered heavily underpaid. However, an injury in 2013 could hurt negotiations.
The 49ers are getting ready to open their checkbooks for several players. Time will tell who stays and who goes.
