The Bills brought receiver Anquan Boldin to Buffalo in part for the impact he can have on a young group of receivers. And Boldin embraces that expectation.
“I think it’s a role that’s sometimes missing in this league,” Boldin told reporters on Tuesday. “If you think about it, I didn’t have anybody in that position to help me out when I first came in the league. A lot of guys look at it as a younger guy is coming to take his job, he’s taking food off of his family’s table, that’s how I provide for my family so I’m not going to help this guy. But me, I see it in a different way. If I can help a guy be the best that he can be, I’m all for it because I feel like the better he is as my teammate, the better we’re going to be as a team. I’m all in as far as helping the guy get to that next level.”
One guy Boldin hopes to get to the next level is receiver Sammy Watkins.
“Hopefully,” Boldin said. “Hopefully I can help him take his game to the next level. Honestly, that all depends on him. I can’t make anybody do anything, the only thing I can do is share my experiences and give him advice about different things that I’ve been through and different things that I’ve seen and experienced throughout my 15 years.”
Boldin already made a positive impression on players like rookie receiver Zay Jones with the extent to which Boldin instantly knew the offense.
“Well, it’s because I didn’t get any sleep last night,” Boldin said. “But like I said, I’m just trying to get caught up. These guys have been going through it in the spring and had about 11 or 12 practices in training camp so I’m behind so I’m just trying to catch up as much as possible.”
Boldin apparently will, and he’s going to make the Bills better. It’s frankly kind of amazing no one else realized before August the value of having him around.