Steve Smith Or Anquan Boldin?

Jan 19, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin (81) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the third quarter of the 2013 NFC Championship football game at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 23-17 to advance to Super Bowl XLVIII. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Who would you rather have, Steve Smith or Anquan Boldin? It’s a moot question, of course. It’s not like the Ravens are going to make the trade, but it is an interesting question. Ravens fans were largely upset when the team let Boldin walk, and their feelings were validated when his presence was obviously missed last season.

The question came up in a recent ESPN chat with Jamison Hensley. Hensley admitted that he would choose Boldin over Smith if he had to choose.

“Interesting question. It’s close but I would go with Boldin. I feel he has more left, and you already know he has an established chemistry with Flacco.”

Boldin has proven to have more left in the tank than the Ravens thought when they let him go, and was a valuable player for the 49ers last season.

At this point in time, we have no idea how good Steve Smith will be in a Ravens uniform. We know that he is easily the best receiver to ever don a Panthers uniform, but the question is how much does he have left in the tank? Boldin has proven to have more left than the Ravens thought when they let him go, and was a valuable player for the 49ers last season.

So we can’t blame Hensley for picking Boldin over Smith. It’s hard to predict at this point who would be a better fit, so Boldin is the safe choice. Things can quickly change, however, once the season starts. Smith could prove to be a perfect fit for the team and fill the void left by Boldin’s departure in 2013.

Lets take a quick look at how the two stack up.

Anquan Boldin Steve Smith
Age: 33 Age: 35
Height: 6’1″ Height: 5’9″
Weight: 220 lbs Weight 195 lbs
Experience: 12 years Experience: 14 years

Career Stats Career Stats
Receptions: 857 Receptions: 836
Yards: 11,344 Yards: 12,197
Avg: 13.2 Avg: 14.6
TD: 65 TD: 67

Pretty darn close if you ask me. Both are possession receivers. Boldin has better size and is able to grab more jump balls in traffic, while Smith is faster and more elusive. Otherwise, they are similar players with similar games. Both are two of the toughest receivers in the NFL, pound for pound.