Anquan Boldin’s Affect On The AFC North

When asked to look over the NFL off-season and make tough calls on situations like the most underrated move and whatnot, my fandom of the AFC North and most notably the Pittsburgh Steelers without a doubt come into play.

And it’s not a good thing this year.

Why not?

Well, because with the trade that sent wide receiver Anquan Boldin to the Baltimore Ravens, the AFC North just took a huge turn towards the future – a bleak, bleak future for the Steelers fans of the world.

With the Ravens adding a legitimate receiving threat they are without a doubt the favorites to win the AFC North and an automatic contender to push far into the playoffs. Especially since that seems to be the one place they were lacking.

Of all the Ravens receivers last season, only Derrick Mason was able to surpass 1,000 yards and the receptions leader was running back Ray Rice. Adding a physical receiver like Bolding just makes that offense that much harder to stop, as teams were used to keying in on Rice (and usually failing to contain him.)

Boldin is a prime candidate to play receiver in an offense like Baltimore’s – he has no problem laying a block and has the physicality to make the tough catch over the middle.

In fact, the only real issue about him is that he’s not had one injury free season since 2003, missing both playoff games the Cardinals were in last season.

The Ravens seem to be going all out to make a serious run to the Super Bowl this season and with an aging defense, it may be one of their last year’s to be able to make that run.

But, aging defense or not, Bolding will be a Raven for the next four years, meaning that AFC North cornerbacks are going to have to play big or risk being manhandled by him.