This is the least surprising report we might hear in free agency. NFL Network reporter Rand Getlin is reporting that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin "wants to play for a team that can compete at the highest level." Boldin will hit free agency this week after signing a five-year deal two years ago that automatically voided the final three seasons.
Boldin has always been a fiery competitor, so there is really nothing surprising about wanting to be on a team competing at the highest level. There are two questions specific to the 49ers as it relates to this. The first is whether or not the 49ers can convince him the team can compete for the playoffs and potentially a Super Bowl sooner rather than later. The second is whether the 49ers even want to try and convince him of that.
The 49ers have plenty of cap room to extend a veteran like Boldin, but it is entirely possible they are ready to get younger, be it with internal options, or draft options. One issue is that this is not a great year for wide receivers. This year's free agent market will include Boldin, Marvin Jones, Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, and Jermaine Kearse, among others. The draft class is not an inspiring group.
I do think the 49ers will add something to the group, but it's hard to get too excited. Really I'm hoping Chip Kelly finds ways to use Bruce Ellington, DeAndre Smelter bounces back from his ACL recovery, and one of the UDFAs (DeAndrew White, Dres Anderson, DiAndre Campbell) shows us something.