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With both trades breaking on the same day the radio sports talk jocks felt obligated to compare the impact of the two receivers on their respective teams. All of them missed the boat on how to look at it. Yes Boldin is talented and his numbers look good but his impact on the Niners will be zero or worse.
The proper way to measure the impact is to look at who each guy is replacing on the roster. Harvin by most accounts will be replacing Obomanu. That upgrade is HUGE! On the Niners roster Boldin is replacing Randy Moss. Hmmmm...
Numbers wise, on paper that looks like a push. But the game is not played on paper! Very interesting that Doc used Moss in his example of a feature wide receiver. Numbers wise Moss looked disappointing for the Niners. They didn't target him near as much as one would have expected. I believe that's because neither Smith or Kaepernick threw a good enough deep ball to truly take advantage of Moss. Yet he still changed the defensive schemes. Just like Felix doesn't need to establish his fastball because it's already in the head of the opposing batter before he even leaves the on deck circle, Moss's ability to take it to the house is in the head of the defensive coordinator even if he only gets one look a game. Moss was a key part of the Niners reaching critical mass in Doc's Tactical Proliferation formula. Defenses are obligated to stay over the top of him. Given a choice of Crabtree for ten yards or Moss for six points teams choose ten yards every time.
Boldin makes his hay in the same area of the field as Crabtree. Unless they draft or sign someone the Niners don't have anybody on the roster to stretch the field. Safety's will be able to cheat up and support the line backers in the mid passing game. being 3-5 yards closer to the line of scrimmage at the snap also will put them in a much better position to lay a smack down on Kaepernick when he thinks he's going to prance down the field like a gazelle.
Without another addition to stretch the field for the Niners I'm laying my money on a sophomore slump for Kaepernick.