2:17pm: Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has the specifics on Boldin’s contract. According to Florio, the base salary for 2014 is the veteran minimum ($955K). The deal also includes a $4.545MM signing bonus, and $500K in per-game roster bonuses for the ’14 season. The base salary for 2015 is $6MM, with $3MM of that amount guaranteed for injury only.
1:37pm: Boldin’s two-year deal is worth $12MM, with $9MM guaranteed, reports ESPN’s Ed Werder (Twitter link).
1:23pm: The 49ers have reached an agreement with Anquan Boldin on a new contract, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, who reports that it’s a two-year deal. Boldin first broke word of the agreement via his foundation’s website.
“49ers fans, I wanted to be the first to tell you I’m returning to San Francisco,” Boldin said in a statement. “Looking forward to joining my teammates, coaching staff and fans to bring back another championship to the Bay Area.”
Boldin, who was traded to the Niners from the Ravens last year, excelled in his first season in San Francisco. His 85 receptions, 1,179 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns all matched or exceeded his best marks in three seasons in Baltimore. Boldin also ranked third among receivers in DYAR according to Football Outsiders, and ninth overall among receivers according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics.
Financial details of the deal aren’t yet known, but I’d expect it will pay Boldin in the ballpark of $6-7MM per year. That would make the contract worth a little more on an annual basis than the other two extensions signed by receivers so far this offseason — Jeremy Maclin‘s one-year pact can max out at $6MM, while Riley Cooper‘s multiyear agreement pays him about $4-5MM per year.
With those three agreements on the books, the wide receiver market has taken a bit of a hit. When I examined the free agent market for receivers last month, I placed Boldin, Maclin, and Cooper in the first tier. Still, with players like Eric Decker, Julian Edelman, Golden Tate, Emmanuel Sanders, and Hakeem Nicks on track to hit the open market, there should be a few appealing options for teams in need of receiving help.
ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter first reported in February that Boldin and the 49ers were closing in on a new deal, while ESPN’s Ed Werder reported today that an announcement was expected shortly.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.