Anquan Boldin signs one-year deal with Buffalo Bills

It was long assumed, but the Detroit Lions will officially proceed without the services of veteran receiver Anquan Boldin. According to FoxSports.com’s Peter Schrager, Boldin will be signing a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills:

Adam Schefter has more details:

UPDATE: The team has now confirmed the signing.

Boldin only spent one year with the Detroit Lions, but it was an eventful one. The 36-year-old veteran caught 67 passes for 584 yards and a team-leading eight touchdowns.

Although head coach Jim Caldwell said he was in contact with Boldin earlier in the offseason, it didn’t sound like the team made a hard push for him. “I think we’re in good shape where we are right now,” Caldwell said back in June.

Boldin’s choice to join the Bills comes as a bit of a surprise. At this point in his career, there were rumors that he wanted to be closer to his home in Florida. However, the Bills could certainly use the help at receiver, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Sammy Watkins, who had a brief injury scare on Sunday.

As for the Lions, they will move on with a receiving corps that has received a lot of hype in the first week of training camp. Not only has third-round rookie Kenny Golladay received widespread praise from reporters, but tight end Darren Fells has also turned heads with his receiving skills.

The Lions will face the Bills in Week 4 of the preseason, but don’t expect Boldin to take the field that day.

UPDATE 2: Boldin had some nice parting words for the Lions: