TEMPE, Ariz. -- San Francisco receiver Anquan Boldin was rather subdued in his media conference call Wednesday, shrugging off this week's meeting with his old team.
"I’m four years removed from Arizona," Boldin said. "I barely know any of the guys there, so it’s not a big deal for me."
Boldin did admit that his trade from Baltimore to San Francisco in the offseason was an eye opener.
"I was shocked initially because I didn't see it coming," he said. "But when I had a chance to sit down and really evaluate everything, I felt like it was a good situation for me -- a team that is used to winning, a team that is right on the cusp, a team that was in the Super Bowl last year."
Boldin won a Super Bowl with the Ravens last season, but he was unwilling to take a $2 million pay cut, which led to his trade. He was due to make $6 million, with a cap number of $7.531 million.
Boldin made a statement in his first game with 49ers, catching 13 passes from QB Colin Kaepernick for 208 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay. He had a similar debut for the Cardinals in 2003 as a rookie when he lit up the Detroit Lions for 10 catches, 217 yards, and two touchdowns.
The 49ers have needed his presence with Michael Crabtree out for most of the season with an Achilles injury.
"I'd heard good things about him from my brother (Baltimore coach John Harbaugh)," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "John said 'you’re going to love him.' He was absolutely right.
"What's he brought to the team? Leadership, ability, playmaking, a personality that's very focused on winning and very serious about winning. Sometimes it kind of comes off as quiet or maybe even a little angry, but he's just serious about winning.
"The kind of presence that he is, it very much would make a great senator. I think Senator Boldin could be in his future."
It's conceivable that the Cardinals could play in London in 2014. The NFL will play three games there, and Jacksonville, Oakland and Atlanta are the hosts.
The Cardinals are scheduled to play at Oakland, and they may play at Atlanta, too, since they are set to face an NFC South team that finishes in the same position in that division as the Cardinals do in theirs.
Arians made waves on Tuesday when he told Sirius XM NFL Radio that he wants no part of the HBO documentary "Hard Knocks," which chronicles one NFL team each season.
"I think it's a total distraction, and I think it's an embarrassment to players," Arians said. "I think when players are released, some of the things that are said between coaches and players are too personal, and nobody else's business."
Earlier this week, the NFL announced it might force teams to participate in future seasons of the program if no franchise volunteered -- with some exceptions. Teams with first-year head coaches, teams that have made the playoffs at least once in the last two seasons and teams that have been featured on Hard Knocks in the last decade would be exempt.
Arians said he would fight the decision even if compelled, although he seemed reluctant to revisit the topic on Wednesday.
"I have bigger fish to fry," he said. "We're going to be in the playoffs, so I don't have to worry about it."
When asked how the league might address a situation where the Cardinals fought participation in Hard Knocks, NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello said: "I don't know. We’re not addressing that type of scenario at this point."
The Cardinals web site posted a video of receiver Andre Roberts allegedly dropping a hole-in-one while golfing. The video did not show the actual shot; only Roberts removing the ball from the hole and chatting with teammate Larry Fitzgerald, who was golfing with him.
Roberts was not available to the media to verify the feat.
The Cardinals signed 6-foot-7 tight end Darren Fells and WR Kerry Taylor to the practice squad. Fells was cut by the Seahawks at the end of the preseason. The Cards had just released Taylor on Tuesday.
LB John Abraham (shoulder), LB Jasper Brinkley (groin), DT Darnell Dockett (groin), WR Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring), S Rashad Johnson (finger), LB Kevin Minter (hamstring), DE Ronald Talley (wrist) and LB Daryl Washington (knee) were limited.
LB Kenny Demens (hamstring) did not practice. G Daryn Colledge (shin) practiced in full.
