The Facts: The Lions wasted no time inserting Boldin into the starting lineup alongside Marvin Jones and Golden Tate. The veteran wideout signed on the dotted line earlier Friday, then was manning the slot a few hours later.

Diehards Line: According to MLive's Kyle Meinke, Boldin had some really good moments, too, including connecting with quarterback Matthew Stafford on a quick slant to avoid a would-be blitz. It was a bang-bang play, from Stafford receiving the snap to Boldin diving for the ball, and it was the kind of thing that made it easy to see why the Lions paid $2.75 million for him despite his age (nearly 36). Meinke went on to remind readers there's a lot to like about TJ Jones and Jeremy Kerley, the other candidates for that inside job, but neither boasts Boldin's physicality and experience. Detroit is probably a better team with him in the lineup, provided he stays healthy. Jones, who had been the starting slot receiver for most of the offseason, was demoted to an outside role on the second unit. Kerley was alongside him in the slot.