Anquan Boldin to the Ravens? Please, Make It Happen Ozzie

The Baltimore Ravens captured the public eye as one of the big turnarounds in the NFL last season. After finishing with a 5-11 record in '07 to an 11-5 record in '08, including an appearance at the AFC Championship Game, fans are jumping on the bandwagon once again.

From the hiring of John Harbough to the selection of Joe Flacco, the front office of the Ravens has continued its quest for their second Super Bowl Championship, with the superb defense on one side and its young offense on the other side.

Led by NFL great and current general manager Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens have one of the best front offices in the entire league.

Their scouts alone have helped the Ravens become successful by helping the decisions of selecting Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Jonathan Odgen, and Joe Flacco in previous seasons.  Baltimore selected wisely once again last year by taking Flacco, who exceeded expectations and proved to be an offensive leader, with the 18th overall pick.

Facing a slow start to the season, Flacco improved his game the rest of the season, nearly finishing with 3000 yards and 20 touchdowns.

His shining part of the season, however, was in the playoffs, where becoming the first rookie quarterback to win two playoff games.  The impressive part of the accomplishment? Both wins were on the road.

Flacco and the Ravens put up a great fight against the Steelers, yet they came up short again in the playoffs.

We all saw what occurred at the game. A tired defense playing their heart out, but just not 100 percent as they hoped to be for the game.

Of course, being a Ravens fan, that is the logical answer we give.

But did anyone ever consider the other side of the perspective, the offensive perspective?

Keep this in mind: the running game was not much of a factor, the offensive line played poorly, and most importantly, they didn't get much help from the receivers.

Don't take it the wrong way; from what was seen at the game it looked obvious that Baltimore's top wide receiver, Derrick Mason, was hurting from the beatings and injuries he took all season.

It didn't help though he was double or even triple-covered by the Steelers' secondary, or Mark Clayton being one of the bigger disappointments in recent drafts of the Baltimore Ravens.

There is always a solution to the problem, and it is a problem that hopefully can be addressed. A potential top five receiver needs to land in Baltimore, in fact, this season wouldn't hurt.

I do have confidence that Mason can play at a good level, however he is at the end of his tenure in the NFL, and an accompaniment is needed beside him.

I present to you Anquan Boldin.

The entire league is well aware of Boldin's frustrations with the Arizona Cardinals regarding a contract extension. Arizona does believe a contract will be reached, but would the Cardinals pay top dollar for two wide receivers?

Boldin is the odd man out, as Fitzgerald isn't going anywhere.

Anquan's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, says Boldin will be traded by training camp, and continues to pursue options with other teams.  Both sides are not cooperating, nor shall it happen anytime soon.

Who would still be in the Boldin sweepstakes to begin with?

The Giants have eyed Braylon Edwards. The Jets are interested in Plaxico Burress. The Chicago Bears have nothing left to give.

The chance is here for the Baltimore Ravens to make a deal for Boldin after the sweepstakes has died down for many teams.

The price won't be cheap for Boldin, even though a contract situation hasn't been resolved.  The Cardinals would like to receive a package involving a first and third round pick, possibly even a late pick in future rounds.

Is it a steep price to pay? Sure it is.

The Ravens can surely work some type of package to their fair liking, as we have always relied on the young guys to develop under the system.

Is the price worth the talent Boldin brings to the field? Absolutely.

The cap room could be an issue, the front office could find a way to make this work from the teams perspective.

He still has put multiple Pro-Bowl caliber seasons, even though he is surrounded by arguably the best wide receiver in all of football.

Anquan Boldin in purple and black? A success that is awaiting to happen.

In Baltimore, Boldin would be getting the great recognition from Raven nation. At least I would give it to him.

With Boldin in the Ravens' playbook, the offense opens up entirely, while still having two wide receivers who can make the cream of the crop of the AFC.

This will create more havoc for defenses, who would be having trouble to double two potent receivers.

This will be judged by some, however, I do think Baltimore would have a much more balanced offense with Boldin then the Cardinals do with him.  Think about it: with a top running game, two tight ends with playmaking ability, and don't forget a quarterback who has one of the strongest arms in the league who would make Boldin a great target.

If there are worries about a locker room issue, nothing of the such will occur while Ray Lewis is in town.

There is speculation that parts of the team may be splitting up after the 2009 season.

Acquiring Boldin does make us a definite Super Bowl contender, and puts us at odds on favorite with the defending champion Steelers.

It is also a great fit for the future of the franchise in general (who knows, Flacco to Boldin could be the next Young to Rice).

Ozzie Newsome is one of the more respectable people around the league, and I shall always have his trust with this organization.

Hopefully, the Wizard of Oz will pull another trick from his sleeve, and make a move that puts the Baltimore Ravens as the team to beat in the NFL.

Matt Miselis is a writer for BleacherReport.com