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Anquan Boldin called a “class act” by Trent Baalke

By Kevin Parvizi

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) avoids a tackle by St. Louis Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan (31) and avoids stepping out of bounds on the way to a 20 yard touchdown reception during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco 49ers No. 1 WR Anquan Boldin has been holding down the fort with Michael Crabtree out, and you can only wonder just how potent the 49ers passing attack will be once both Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree make their returns to the team. That would give Colin Kaepernick five legitimate weapons in the passing game in TE Vernon Davis, Crabtree, Boldin, Manningham, and running back Frank Gore. The 49ers’ identity is as a running team, so there haven’t been many opportunities for Boldin to shine this season. He’s definitely has his moments, though, and he is clearly the 49ers best wide receiver right now. He had 74 receiving yards last week, but Boldin hasn’t topped 100 receiving yards since his monstrous, 200-yard performance in Week 1.

The way Boldin approaches the game mentally and his leadership have earned plaudits, and 49ers GM Trent Baalke called Boldin a “class act”. From the Sacramento Bee’s Matthew Barrows, “There is no better pro, in my opinion, than Anquan,” Baalke said. “He is the consummate professional. He’s a leader; he’s a mentor. He’s a great family man. He is a class act.”

Boldin has averaged over 70 receiving yards per game this season with two touchdowns, but the caveat here is that Baalke’s praise came after declining to speak on the chances of Boldin being extended. In all honesty, he definitely deserves an extension, so long as his price tag is within reason. Boldin has done everything asked of him, which is why he gets this kind of praise for how he impacts a team with his intangibles.

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