No thanks, watched Boldin last year and he looked like the slowest player i have ever watched.

Granted he had a hammy problem but still... Pass.

(03-01-2016, 08:16 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: No thanks, watched Boldin last year and he looked like the slowest player i have ever watched.

Granted he had a hammy problem but still... Pass.

He still has some left in the tank and playing for Cincy as opposed to playing for the train wreck that is SF would probably be like night and day. Not to mention if he were to sign here it would be in a division that he is familiar with as well as a division in which he flourished. I mean honestly any WR playing with Kaep as their QB was handicapped from the start! Obviously, the majority of us are hoping that we can keep Marvin but if not we will surely need to add at least one solid vet as a stop gap til the young guys are ready. Kearse from Seattle may be a good option as well.

(03-01-2016, 08:16 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: No thanks, watched Boldin last year and he looked like the slowest player i have ever watched.

Granted he had a hammy problem but still... Pass.

Slowest player you've ever watched, with a hammy problem, with Kap/Gabbert at QB, without AJ Green taking double coverage, and without Eifert taking the best safety away.....

....and still produced only 27 less yards receiving than Marvin Jones in 2 less games.


I certainly can live with that for a year while the drafted rookie gets his feet under him. Not to mention, Anquan Boldin's game has NEVER revolved around speed. His 40 time was a 4.71 and he still put up over 1,300 yards his rookie year. Boldin's game isn't speed, it's routes, hands, aggression, body positioning, and fighting for contested catches. He still does all of those.

(03-02-2016, 04:15 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Slowest player you've ever watched, with a hammy problem, with Kap/Gabbert at QB, without AJ Green taking double coverage, and without Eifert taking the best safety away.....

....and still produced only 27 less yards receiving than Marvin Jones in 2 less games.


I certainly can live with that for a year while the drafted rookie gets his feet under him. Not to mention, Anquan Boldin's game has NEVER revolved around speed. His 40 time was a 4.71 and he still put up over 1,300 yards his rookie year. Boldin's game isn't speed, it's routes, hands, aggression, body positioning, and fighting for contested catches. He still does all of those.

But but but.... He is old and slow.  

Point is the bengals are in a win now mode.  While we might lose some free agents we cannot regress in the passing game.   Rookies can take time to develop (we are spoiled due to aj green and the last few classes playing well out the gate) a veteran receiver would help with giving Andy enough targets and leadership development.  If people don't see ho a 2 year 4/5 million dollar contract is more beneficial than signing sanu to 5/20 and being able to draft a young gun the next few years I do question our fan base a little more.  It's not w bad thing we are losing some young guys it just shows our drafting ability and it happens.  But sometimes teams need to rely on veterans for their maturity and big game moments. A player doesn't have to be a pro bowler to be a contributer.  (Jericho crotchery, roman Harper, Owen Daniels) are all  "washed up" free agents that played a key role for their teams all year all the way to the Super Bowl.

(03-02-2016, 04:15 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Slowest player you've ever watched, with a hammy problem, with Kap/Gabbert at QB, without AJ Green taking double coverage, and without Eifert taking the best safety away.....

....and still produced only 27 less yards receiving than Marvin Jones in 2 less games.


I certainly can live with that for a year while the drafted rookie gets his feet under him. Not to mention, Anquan Boldin's game has NEVER revolved around speed. His 40 time was a 4.71 and he still put up over 1,300 yards his rookie year. Boldin's game isn't speed, it's routes, hands, aggression, body positioning, and fighting for contested catches. He still does all of those.

I am usually against signing older free agents, but Bolden would be the perfect replacement for Sanu.  Still draft a guy to groom as his replacement but let Boldin play ion front of him for a year or two.

If we lose Jones that is a different story.  We already have Eifert as a serious target in the short to middle range.  We need a WR who demands respect deep to replace Jones.

(03-02-2016, 12:26 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I'll feel like I need a shower after saying this, but......I agree with Leonard.

And I am a guy who is usually against signing older free agents.  Bolden is an exception to the rule.  And I am pretty sure that everyone who wants to sign him also wants us to still draft a WR early in the draft to groom as a replacement.

Ding ding ding ..... It's not sign a vet and that's it.  It's find a vet and draft a guy.  

(03-02-2016, 04:15 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Slowest player you've ever watched, with a hammy problem, with Kap/Gabbert at QB, without AJ Green taking double coverage, and without Eifert taking the best safety away.....

....and still produced only 27 less yards receiving than Marvin Jones in 2 less games.


I certainly can live with that for a year while the drafted rookie gets his feet under him. Not to mention, Anquan Boldin's game has NEVER revolved around speed. His 40 time was a 4.71 and he still put up over 1,300 yards his rookie year. Boldin's game isn't speed, it's routes, hands, aggression, body positioning, and fighting for contested catches. He still does all of those.

Sure Boldin he did not have the benefit of AJ and Eifert, at same time that means Jones had less targets since he had AJ and Eifert.  Also who else did San Fran have as WR ?  Boldin was their #1, not their #2/#3 option he had two times the amount of catches than any other player and almost targeted twice the amount of any WR on San Fran.  Even with a bad team,, a decent #1 is going to get catches and the the ball their way a lot especially when you have very little at #2#3 option.  Jones on the other hand being a #2/#3 option will have to share the wealth a bit more.  A good question to ask is if Jones was on San Fran last year, would his stats be similar to Boldin ?    
I still think Boldin has something in the tank but  I would think it is a bad fit to replace Jones a speed guy with Boldin a possession guy plus Jones might cost a 2-3 million more a year but he is much younger and adds something to our team that we lack...SPEED, SPEED, SPEED.

If we lose Sanu, I understand looking at Boldin if the price is correct.

(03-02-2016, 12:42 AM)coachmcneil71 Wrote: He still has some left in the tank and playing for Cincy as opposed to playing for the train wreck that is SF would probably be like night and day. Not to mention if he were to sign here it would be in a division that he is familiar with as well as a division in which he flourished. I mean honestly any WR playing with Kaep as their QB was handicapped from the start! Obviously, the majority of us are hoping that we can keep Marvin but if not we will surely need to add at least one solid vet as a stop gap til the young guys are ready. Kearse from Seattle may be a good option as well.

Good points, i just was very unimpressed with him last year when i saw him. But i just might of
caught him after the hamstring injury and that was all there was to it. I just don't understand why
a team would let a player play when he is that dinged up.

(03-02-2016, 04:15 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Slowest player you've ever watched, with a hammy problem, with Kap/Gabbert at QB, without AJ Green taking double coverage, and without Eifert taking the best safety away.....

....and still produced only 27 less yards receiving than Marvin Jones in 2 less games.


I certainly can live with that for a year while the drafted rookie gets his feet under him. Not to mention, Anquan Boldin's game has NEVER revolved around speed. His 40 time was a 4.71 and he still put up over 1,300 yards his rookie year. Boldin's game isn't speed, it's routes, hands, aggression, body positioning, and fighting for contested catches. He still does all of those.

I getcha but as Essex here says Boldin was a #1 receiver.

What were his targets is the question, i am sure he had more  than MLJ even with 2 less games.

If Mo is gone i guess Boldin would not he a bad option to replace him i was just wanting a younger
guy like Rishard Matthews and add some more speed. But you are right about Boldin's game and he
might not be done, it was just a hamstring injury afterall.

(03-02-2016, 02:58 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Sure Boldin he did not have the benefit of AJ and Eifert, at same time that means Jones had less targets since he had AJ and Eifert.  Also who else did San Fran have as WR ?  Boldin was their #1, not their #2/#3 option he had two times the amount of catches than any other player and almost targeted twice the amount of any WR on San Fran.  Even with a bad team,, a decent #1 is going to get catches and the the ball their way a lot especially when you have very little at #2#3 option.  Jones on the other hand being a #2/#3 option will have to share the wealth a bit more.  A good question to ask is if Jones was on San Fran last year, would his stats be similar to Boldin ?    
I still think Boldin has something in the tank but  I would think it is a bad fit to replace Jones a speed guy with Boldin a possession guy plus Jones might cost a 2-3 million more a year but he is much younger and adds something to our team that we lack...SPEED, SPEED, SPEED.

If we lose Sanu, I understand looking at Boldin if the price is correct.

Great post, i completely agree.

(03-03-2016, 04:57 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Good points, i just was very unimpressed with him last year when i saw him. But i just might of
caught him after the hamstring injury and that was all there was to it. I just don't understand why
a team would let a player play when he is that dinged up.


I getcha but as Essex here says Boldin was a #1 receiver.

What were his targets is the question, i am sure he had more  than MLJ even with 2 less games.

If Mo is gone i guess Boldin would not he a bad option to replace him i was just wanting a younger
guy like Rishard Matthews and add some more speed. But you are right about Boldin's game and he
might not be done, it was just a hamstring injury afterall.


Great post, i completely agree.

thanks, though I still don;t know how to put in multiple quotes from different people into the thread.. will have to see if can finally figure that out.

I do think we need speed way over possession WR, but we can;t break the bank with Jones .. so if he wants #1 WR pay we might have to look at other WRs

(01-25-2016, 01:42 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Even as a a veteran minimum free agent acquistion that would cost us nothing i would be weary of giving him a roster spot. 

I can see being a little skeptical due to his age, but this is silly. Our depth is set to go from bad to worse this year. Could Boldin be any worse than Alford, Tate or some of the bums that annually occupy our WR depth chart? C'mon now...

(03-01-2016, 04:01 PM)jj22 Wrote: Shocked by the Boldin love on this board. Not sure what people have been watching with him the last couple years. Hate to break it to folks but Boldin is done. Name value only.

I've watched a guy that's averaged 76 catches and 926 yards with questionable-at-best QB play over the last 2 years. Those would be career high's for MLJ. For a guy that's lost all of his ability and is only a "name", he sure is producing.

I get that the guy is old, but lets not pretend he's looked terrible. Some players age well and Boldin (so far) has been one of those players.

(03-01-2016, 07:03 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: i just feel been many more misses than hits of late with veteran WRs... couple more bust or under achievers last year Bowe, S. Johnson, Harvins, Hartline, Britt, Douglas.. all veteran WRs that I think did not perform to their price tag.. the one success was Crabtree

I see two guys who signed with the Browns and 3 guys that have (continued) to have injury issues. Harry Douglas was a flash in the pan and never on Boldin's level. Boldin is a hard worker (unlike Bowe and Britt) and isn't injury prone (unlike S. Johnson and Harvin). 

If you're going to use examples, at least look at them with a little context. I think Boldin looks like a better option (for 1 season) than any of these guys.

(03-01-2016, 08:16 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: No thanks, watched Boldin last year and he looked like the slowest player i have ever watched.

Granted he had a hammy problem but still... Pass.

Idk man. He doesn't look slow to me:





He burned Leon at the 2:11 mark and a several others.

(03-03-2016, 04:57 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I getcha but as Essex here says Boldin was a #1 receiver.

What were his targets is the question, i am sure he had more  than MLJ even with 2 less games.

If Mo is gone i guess Boldin would not he a bad option to replace him i was just wanting a younger
guy like Rishard Matthews and add some more speed. But you are right about Boldin's game and he
might not be done, it was just a hamstring injury afterall.


Great post, i completely agree.

Boldin 111 targets
Marvin 103 targets

The difference is negligible. Especially when you consider that Marvin's QB is far more accurate, yet their production was nearly identical.

(03-04-2016, 11:14 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Boldin 111 targets
Marvin 103 targets

The difference is negligible. Especially when you consider that Marvin's QB is far more accurate, yet their production was nearly identical.

Thanks, I was about to make this reply but then decided to scroll down a bit more and saw it was already said.

People just don't realize that Boldin has never been fast so they see him now and think he's washed up. He's in the same mold as Tony Gonzalez later in his career... looks slow as hell, but his skill set allows him to just keep getting open and producing regardless of it. Gonzalez was 38 and still could just produce 80/870/7 type seasons like it was the easiest thing in the world.

(03-05-2016, 12:52 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Thanks, I was about to make this reply but then decided to scroll down a bit more and saw it was already said.

People just don't realize that Boldin has never been fast so they see him now and think he's washed up. He's in the same mold as Tony Gonzalez later in his career... looks slow as hell, but his skill set allows him to just keep getting open and producing regardless of it. Gonzalez was 38 and still could just produce 80/870/7 type seasons like it was the easiest thing in the world.

Actually, I was thinking of Gonzalez too. Both guys that relied more on savvy, strength and amazing work ethic to keep playing at a high level.

Those types of players age well. I don't think Boldin has lost too much physically just yet either, tbh.

(03-02-2016, 12:42 AM)coachmcneil71 Wrote: He still has some left in the tank and playing for Cincy as opposed to playing for the train wreck that is SF would probably be like night and day. Not to mention if he were to sign here it would be in a division that he is familiar with as well as a division in which he flourished. I mean honestly any WR playing with Kaep as their QB was handicapped from the start! Obviously, the majority of us are hoping that we can keep Marvin but if not we will surely need to add at least one solid vet as a stop gap til the young guys are ready. Kearse from Seattle may be a good option as well.

I wouldn't mind ANquan Boldin. He used to be a force to reckon with, very physical WR. 

(03-03-2016, 05:27 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: thanks, though I still don;t know how to put in multiple quotes from different people into the thread.. will have to see if can finally figure that out.

I do think we need speed way over possession WR, but we can;t break the bank with Jones .. so if he wants #1 WR pay we might have to look at other WRs

Right next to Quote is Multi-Quote. If it was a snake it would of bit yah Essex.

(03-04-2016, 11:14 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Idk man. He doesn't look slow to me:





He burned Leon at the 2:11 mark and a several others.


Boldin 111 targets
Marvin 103 targets

The difference is negligible. Especially when you consider that Marvin's QB is far more accurate, yet their production was nearly identical.

Cool, i get why you guys want Boldin, i just think i caught him at a bad time last year.

(03-05-2016, 12:52 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Thanks, I was about to make this reply but then decided to scroll down a bit more and saw it was already said.

People just don't realize that Boldin has never been fast so they see him now and think he's washed up. He's in the same mold as Tony Gonzalez later in his career... looks slow as hell, but his skill set allows him to just keep getting open and producing regardless of it. Gonzalez was 38 and still could just produce 80/870/7 type seasons like it was the easiest thing in the world.

Boldin does have great hands as well. Right there is an upgrade over Sanu.

(03-05-2016, 12:52 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Thanks, I was about to make this reply but then decided to scroll down a bit more and saw it was already said.

People just don't realize that Boldin has never been fast so they see him now and think he's washed up. He's in the same mold as Tony Gonzalez later in his career... looks slow as hell, but his skill set allows him to just keep getting open and producing regardless of it. Gonzalez was 38 and still could just produce 80/870/7 type seasons like it was the easiest thing in the world.

Replacing Boldin for Jones would be trying to put a square peg into a round hole.. just does not fit so would not be a good move for us.. i would much rather go after Benjamin, younger faster, play slot and wide ... if lose Sanu I might look at Boldin if the price is right.. if he wants 5 million or more or a multi year contract.. i am passing

(03-05-2016, 07:57 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Replacing Boldin for Jones would be trying to put a square peg into a round hole.. just does not fit so would not be a good move for us.. i would much rather go after Benjamin, younger faster, play slot and wide ... if lose Sanu I might look at Boldin if the price is right.. if he wants 5 million or more or a multi year contract.. i am passing

No doubt the player that Boldin should be replacing is Sanu, not MLJ.

I would love it if we got Travis Benjamin or Rishard Matthews, these two are the types to replace MLJ if he leaves.

(03-05-2016, 07:57 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Replacing Boldin for Jones would be trying to put a square peg into a round hole.. just does not fit so would not be a good move for us.. i would much rather go after Benjamin, younger faster, play slot and wide ... if lose Sanu I might look at Boldin if the price is right.. if he wants 5 million or more or a multi year contract.. i am passing

I've never claimed to want to replace Jones with Boldin. I want to replace Jones with Rishard Matthews.

I want Boldin to replace Housh for one year until the drafted rookie is ready to step in for 2017. I say replace Housh because he's never been replaced ever since he left. They need someone with good hands and good routes who can get you that third down conversion. Sanu doesn't have the physicality, routes, or hands to be that great 3rd down chain mover.

If I have to watch one more 3rd & 6 or 7 where the WR runs a 4 or 5 yard route, I will throw something. The draft is slow, so you pick up Rishard Matthews (15.4 avg) to be your #2, and then you look at the draft for the guy with hands/routes/physicality, and then you get him to learn from Anquan Boldin (who could possibly be a better candidate to teach that style of WR play?) for a year.

(03-05-2016, 07:57 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Replacing Boldin for Jones would be trying to put a square peg into a round hole.. just does not fit so would not be a good move for us.. i would much rather go after Benjamin, younger faster, play slot and wide ... if lose Sanu I might look at Boldin if the price is right.. if he wants 5 million or more or a multi year contract.. i am passing

I think most of us still want to keep Jones and sign Boldin. Not replace Jones with Boldin.