Anquan Boldin made plenty of clutch plays in Super Bowl XLVII. He also did it at the expense of his new teammates.
The past aside, the 11-year veteran has been upbeat about teaming up with the San Francisco 49ers. In particular, Boldin has been impressed with the daily strides of third-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Moreover, Boldin has come to appreciate the quarterback he'll be working with in 2013. The veteran is now seeing what 49ers fans learned in 10 games last season.
"I think the biggest thing is just how good of a quarterback he is," Boldin said on Tuesday, two days before the 49ers preseason opener against the Denver Broncos.
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Boldin had an idea of Kaepernick's ability from the Super Bowl, but is clearly further aware of the talent possessed by San Francisco's starting signal-caller.
"I think from the outside looking in, you hear about how athletic he is," Boldin began. "A lot of times, the quarterback aspect gets overlooked. But I think if people had a chance to play with him and see him up close, they'll understand how good of a quarterback he actually is."
In turn, Kaepernick is discovering the talents that make Boldin such a respected receiver and an offseason trade target for the 49ers front office.
"He's a savvy guy," said Kaepernick when asked how Boldin makes the quarterback's job easier. "He's played in a lot of games. He knows what the defense is doing. He knows the weak spots in a defense. He knows where he wants to get to.
"He helps me see things more from his perspective as a receiver, what they're looking at and what they need the quarterback to do to help them be successful."
Boldin is learning more and more about Kaepernick with each training camp practice. The No. 1 wideout continues to get on the same page with a mobile quarterback, something he hasn't had since his time in college at Florida State.
"With Colin, the play is never dead," Boldin the three-time Pro Bowler said. "You just have to keep that in the back of your mind. Even if the defense has a great call or it looks like the play is broken down, he has the knack of getting outside of the pocket and being able to find receivers."
Boldin, himself, has a knack of catching the ball even when he's covered. It's something he's in the process of working on with Kaepernick.
"That is just a trust thing," the 6-foot-1, 220-pound wideout said. "I think the more you do that, the more the receiver comes through for you, the more you trust them."
Boldin is eager to test that trust Thursday night against the Broncos, the very same team he defeated in the 2012 postseason as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
After hearing Boldin speak about his 49ers debut, despite it being in the preseason, it's clear how much the physical wideout enjoys the game of football.
While some veterans might look to avoid injury in preseason games, Boldin wants to play. He wants to improve his growing chemistry with his new quarterback.
"I think there comes a point in time where you want to get as comfortable as possible before the first regular season game, so I look forward to the preseason," Boldin said. "There are times where you don't play a lot, but I think the more snaps you can get, the more prepared you can be for the first regular season game."
Boldin is looking to continue to build trust with his new quarterback, preseason game or elsewhere.
"My thought is, every time the quarterback throws the ball to you, the more you complete the pass, the more confidence he'll have in you."
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