49ers Trade For Anquan Boldin, Give Up Basically Nothing

That other super-talented NFC West team landed its own star receiver this afternoon, as the 49ers have acquired Anquan Boldin from Baltimore. The deal won't become official until Boldin passes a physical, and he's currently in Africa, but according to the Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson, the Ravens will receive a sixth-round draft pick in return.

That's dirt cheap, especially compared to what the Seahawks paid for Percy Harvin just a few hours ago. But with the Ravens up against their cap and Boldin unwilling to take a pay cut, it was either cut him or get something for him.

Boldin was scheduled to make $6 million in 2013, the final season of a four-year deal. But as we've seen with Tom Brady and Joe Flacco, there's nothing contractual about NFL contracts, if the team decides it doesn't want to pay what it agreed to. Boldin was understandably ticked about being asked to take less money:

"When I signed with the Ravens, I signed for four years," Boldin said Saturday. "With me, it's all about principles. At no point, no matter how well I played, would I come back to the table and say, 'I need more money.'

"The contract that I signed was the contract that I intended to play out."

The 49ers have the cap room, and a need for another hands receiver, especially with the Seahawks taking the lead in the arms race by landing Percy Harvin. Boldin may end up being a one-year rental, unless he signs another long-term deal that won't be honored to completion.