Boldin returning to San Francisco after productive season

By By Jeff Zrebiec and The Baltimore Sun

Mar 03, 2014 | 2:40 PM

After one season in San Francisco, veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin decided that he didn't want to go anywhere else.

Boldin, the former Raven, broke the news on his Twitter account that he has re-signed with the 49ers a little more than a week before he was eligible to hit free agency. According to reports, Boldin agreed to a two-year deal.

"49er fans, I wanted to be the first to tell you that I’m returning to San Francisco," Boldin write on his foundation's web site. "Looking forward to joining my teammates, coaching staff and fans to bring back another championship to the Bay Area. Let’s go after our Quest For Six."

Boldin, 33, started all 16 games for the 49ers in the 2013 season, catching 85 passes for 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns. Though San Francisco fell short of the Super Bowl, losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship game, Boldin enjoyed a strong season and was viewed as a priority to re-sign.

The Ravens' traded Boldin to the 49ers for a sixth-round pick last March after he declined to take a pay cut. Saddled with salary cap issues, the Ravens didn't feel like they could afford to keep Boldin, who was a standout during their run to Super Bowl XLVII, so they opted to trade him rather than release him.

Though the Ravens used the money saved in dealing Boldin to rebuild their defense, they never found an adequate replacement for Boldin. General manager Ozzie Newsome acknowledged after the season that the organization needs to add another pass catcher to work underneath and become a reliable option on third downs.

Because of Boldin's desire to stay in San Francisco, a reunion with the Ravens this offseason was never viewed as a realistic scenario.

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