By MIchael Stets
ALLEN PARK–Anquan Boldin provided stability for the Detroit Lions’ offense in 2016, and filled the third wide out role quite nicely with 67 receptions and eight touchdowns. But the 36-year-old receiver chose not to return to the Lions for a second season, and on Tuesday, Boldin signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills, his fifth NFL team.
“I’m happy for him,” said Golden Tate after Lions practice on Wednesday morning. “That guy is not showing any decline in his game. I think Buffalo is very, very lucky to get him. I think he is going to make a huge difference. He is a great guy. He makes any locker room better. So, I’m happy for him. We learned a lot from him here. He was definitely a leader. He made a bunch of plays for us. We leaned on him and he responded well.”
Added head coach Jim Caldwell: “He came in and did a great job for us. I’ve been with him a couple of times now both in Baltimore and here. I’m glad to see he has another spot to go to and he’ll do well.”
After playing with him for one season, is Tate disappointed Boldin is playing in Buffalo and not Detroit?
“We are,” he answered, “I am. Like I said, he’s a great guy. He definitely helped us last year. But at the same time, I guess that shows the type of confidence that Jim Bob [Cooter], and coach Caldwell, Bob Quinn, Rod Wood an our coach [wide receivers coach] Rob Prince have in us. So it’s kind of like, we miss him, but at the same time it shows the confidence in what we are doing here right now.”
Behind starters Tate and Marvin Jones, the Lions have Kenny Golladay, their 2017 third-round draft pick, and the fourth spot is still up for grabs between TJ Jones, Jared Abbrederis and Jace Billingsley, who Tate has refereed to as “White Thunder.”
Boldin, who won Superbowl XLVII while playing for the Baltimore Ravens, is now entering his 15th NFL season. By comparison, Tate, now 29, is entering his seventh year in the league. Does seeing a seemingly ageless wonder like Boldin, who despite being in his mid-30s is still playing wide receiver at a high level in the NFL, make Tate hopeful he can achieve the same for himself at that age?
“Man, I hope I can walk as fluent as him when I’m his age. He has it figured out. He understands the game. He understands how to be ready and you can see it every single day. Every single day before practice he’s in the cold tub. Every single day after practice he’s in the hot box. His preparation is incredible.”