New York Giants: Anquan Boldin makes sense

The New York Giants still need a No. 2 receiver, as Odell Beckham Jr. can’t do it all. With the wide receiver market incredibly dry, the Giants should bring in Anquan Boldin.

As of late, there hasn’t been much news about three-time Pro Bowler Anquan Boldin. In fact, the most recent news is that a reunion with the San Francisco 49ers will come ‘later [rather] than sooner,’ according to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.

I mean, can you really blame Boldin is he wants to play elsewhere? It’s not like the 49ers have a ton of direction, and with the unpredictable Chip Kelly calling the shots, who knows what can happen?

There are certainly teams interested in Boldin’s services, and the New York Giants are definitely one of those teams. After “whiffing” on Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones — I don’t think the Giants really wanted either of them. They displayed they have no problem overpaying, but they chose to not do so with Jones and Sanu. — the team “lost” Rueben Randle — New York never made an effort to retain the perpetually frustrating Randle.

Unfortunately, by not making a move in the early stages of free agency, the Giants are in a bit of a conundrum. ESPN’s Dan Graziano does an excellent job giving a quick synopsis on the current receivers on the roster:

"Odell Beckham Jr. — SuperstarVictor Cruz — Former star, now a huge injury question mark from whom high-end production in the slot would be a bonus.Dwayne Harris — Special-teams ace who played OK in the slot in Cruz’s place last year.Geremy Davis — A 2015 sixth-round pick who didn’t develop enough as a rookie to hold off Hakeem Nicks for playing time late.Myles White — Caught seven passes for 88 yards and a touchdown in 12 games last year.Anthony Dable, Ben Edwards, Tavarres King — Total unknown quantities."

So essentially, the Giants have a top receiver in Beckham, and then a lot of uncertainty.

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Despite his age of 35, Boldin is worth signing to a short-term deal. Typically, signing a receiver who will be 36 by Halloween isn’t a wise decision, but Boldin is one of the rare players who appears to have shot-gunned cans filled with the stuff found in the Fountain of Youth.

Boldin is one year removed from an 83-catch, 1,062 yard and five touchdown season. That 1,000-yard season was the seventh of his NFL career. Also keep in mind that over the past two years, Boldin has been catching passes from Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert.

The Florida State alumnus is still going strong, hauling in 69 catches last year for 789 yards, on a team that was as tumultuous as they come.

Oct 11, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) scores a touchdown against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. The Giants won 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jim O /

People who say Boldin has ‘lost a step’ are out of line, as Boldin’s speed isn’t what defines his game, and it never has been. Boldin was never a vertical deep-threat who relied on his speed. Instead, Boldin’s game has always been about technique, efficiency, consistency and aggression.

Boldin’s game still embodies all of those traits. As far as consistency goes, Boldin still has great, elite possession receiver hands. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 5-yard slant route or a go-route, there’s a good chance Boldin’s coming down with the ball. He may not be considered a lethal jumpball guy like Calvin Johnson, but he’s quietly exceptional at locating the ball in the air, and snagging it away from defensive backs’ hands. There’s a reason his nickname is “Too Strong” or “So Strong,” depending on whom you talk to.

In fact, according to SportingCharts.com, Boldin only totaled two, count ’em, two, drops on the year, despite 111 targets, which is a drop rate of 1.8 percent. That’s the kind of consistency that would be welcomed in Ben McAdoo’s

Last year, Boldin tore the Giants apart in the second half, including a third-quarter touchdown that would tie the game up at 13. Obviously, most offenses tore apart the Giants’ defense last year, so it’s important to take his performance with a grain of salt.

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Although Boldin isn’t the fastest receiver, he’s crafty in the open field. He’s got no problem lowering his shoulder and fighting for extra yards, even in his later years. He’s a competitor, and a great presence to have in the locker room.

Signing Boldin would not only solve a problem for the Giants and give them more flexibility in the draft, as it would also embody the win-now state the team is currently in. Boldin isn’t a long-term, Robin-to-Beckham’s-Batman solution for the Giants. Instead, New York would likely get Boldin on a two-year deal.

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Signing Anquan Boldin would make sense for the New York Giants

By Ryan Disdier | Mar 26, 2016

The New York Giants still need a No. 2 receiver, as Odell Beckham Jr. can’t do it all. With the wide receiver market incredibly dry, the Giants should bring in Anquan Boldin.