Baltimore Ravens land WR Boldin

While the first day of NFL Free Agency, in the first uncapped NFL season since 1993, was a little crazy, the best move made may just be by the Baltimore Ravens. They traded their 2010 third and fourth round draft picks to the Arizona Cardinals for WR Anquan Boldin. Boldin has been unhappy in Arizona, but without a doubt is one of the premier wide outs in the game today. In the second move of this off season, the Ravens have significantly upgraded their WR corps having already signed Donte Stallworth earlier this year.

Last season the Ravens featured a wide out corps of Derrick Mason, Mary Clayton, Kelley Washington, and Demetrius Williams. Mason and Washington are both unrestricted free agents, so the team felt a little pressure to improve their wide out lineup regardless of if they can resign them.

With that being said the Ravens needed to upgrade this position anyway. In 2009 only Mason had 1,000 receiving yards, and the club’s leading receiver was RB Ray Rice. Most NFL pundits had the Ravens upgrading this position via the NFL draft, but after these strong signings they will now use the first and second round draft picks addressing other needs.

In Boldin they have landed a receiver who has racked up 1,000 receiving yards in five of his seven NFL seasons. He is exactly the kind of player they needed, and the offensive weapon for QB Joe Flacco to prove how good a QB he actually is. The Ravens also have locked up Boldin up for a few years. He was entering the final year of his contract, but that has been extended by three years and has a maximum value of 25 million dollars. The Ravens are guaranteeing 10 million of that figure.

Related Links:

•Baltimore Ravens news and notes
•2010 NFL Free Agents
•2010 NFL Team needs
•2010 NFL Mock Drafts
•NFL Complete.com