Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) makes a first down catch against New England Patriots defensive back Marquice Cole (23) in the third quarter of the NFL AFC Championship football game in Foxborough, Massachusetts, January 20, 2013.MIKE SEGAR/Reuters
The San Francisco 49ers landed another playmaking wide receiver to catch those deep passes from Colin Kaepernick.
San Francisco agreed Tuesday to acquire Anquan Boldin from the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens for a sixth-round draft pick.
The deal, announced by the team shortly after the start of the free agency period Tuesday, is pending a physical. Boldin expressed surprise at the trade and thanked the Ravens' supporters in a series of posts on Twitter.
"I would like to thank the Ravens fans for their incredible support for myself and my family throughout my years in Baltimore," he said Tuesday. "I am grateful in getting to know you and will miss what I call home. I thought this was the last stop of my career but regardless of the circumstances I came here to win a Championship ... and in February we came home Champions. For my future in San Francisco, I will leave that in God's hands."
He was a big key in Baltimore's 34-31 Super Bowl victory against the 49ers on Feb. 3 in New Orleans. Boldin made six catches for 104 yards and the game's first touchdown, and also had five receptions for 60 yards and two TDs in a victory over New England in the AFC title game.
The 32-year-old Boldin had 65 catches for 921 yards and four touchdowns for the Ravens. Now, he will switch from playing for John Harbaugh to younger brother and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh as the receiver begins his 11th NFL season.
"We are excited to add Anquan to our roster," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. "He is a highly competitive and productive player with strong leadership qualities that will be a welcome addition to our team and community."
Last spring, the 49ers did something similar when they signed wideout Mario Manningham and running back Brandon Jacobs, both from the New York Giants — the team that beat the 49ers in overtime of the NFC championship game.
With Manningham working back from reconstructive left knee surgery and Randy Moss not expected to return after one season for the Super Bowl runner-up, Boldin brings the kind of big playmaking ability that should fit in well with strong-armed Kaepernick and complement Michael Crabtree in the offence.
Boldin was due to earn $6 million this season in the final year of his contract. After he and the Ravens failed to agree on a restructured deal, Baltimore worked the swap with San Francisco rather than simply cut him from the roster.
After playing his first seven NFL seasons with Arizona, Boldin spent the past three years with the Ravens.
Boldin and former Cardinals teammate Larry Fitzgerald were in West Africa continuing their efforts with international relief. Boldin was expected to remain in Africa through Thursday and was not immediately available for comment aside from his Twitter posts.
Also Tuesday, the 49ers sent backup quarterback Alex Smith, the 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick, to the Kansas City Chiefs in a swap that gives San Francisco an undisclosed pick in this April's draft and a conditional pick in 2014. Smith still must pass a physical in Kansas City to complete the trade that was reached two weeks ago.
"We would like to thank Alex for his contributions to the 49ers organization over the past eight years," Baalke said. "He is a true professional who represented the 49ers with class on and off the field."
San Francisco also posted a photo of Smith on Twitter with a "THANKYOUALEX" hashtag.
Free agent safety Dashon Goldson, the team's franchise player last season, was scheduled to meet Tuesday with Tampa Bay officials, a person with knowledge of the session said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting wasn't made public.
Goldson, who has spent his first six NFL seasons with the Niners, made it clear he did not want to return to San Francisco on a one-year deal and would head into the off-season open to hearing from all teams as he sought a multiyear contract.
He had 69 tackles, three interceptions and a forced fumble last season for the NFC champions.
On March 4, Goldson said on his Twitter account, "I'm very thankful I didn't get the franchise tag again but still hopeful this means something long term with the San Francisco 49ers!"
Then Monday, he posted, "Things are jingling in the football world today," with a hashtag of "theracebegins."