Reggie Wayne’s first thought when he heard Anquan Boldin had signed with the Buffalo Bills was summed up in a single word: “Perfect.”

“Now they’ve got a veteran presence in that receiving room who can help a Sammy Watkins and get him on track,” said Wayne, the Indianapolis Colts great turned NFL Network analyst. “At the same time, he’s going to be one of those guys who can come in on third down, make a tight catch, keep the chains moving. He’s not going to be a guy who’s going to take the top off the secondary. But he’s going to be a guy who can work the inside … work in between the hash and the numbers.

Newly acquired Buffalo receiver Anquan Boldin makes a catch during training-camp drills in Pittsford N.Y. Associated Press/Jaime Germano, Democrat & Chronicle

“Just his presence on that team, he can kind of lead the way, show these young players how to be a true professional.”

Wayne, who spoke on a conference call previewing the 2017 season, retired after his age-36 season in 2014. Boldin turns 37 in October.

“I like the signing. I think he can go in and contribute,” Wayne said. “I don’t see him having an 80-catch year. But if he can get somewhere in the 30s to 50 catches on the year, I think that will be real productive for him.”

Wayne didn’t hold back when commenting on the Bills’ prolonged playoff absence.

“It’s their time. Buffalo has been struggling as of late, well, (expletive), for a long time. They’re going to need Sammy Watkins to be healthy. I think he sees the writing on the wall,” he said. “The Buffalo Bills didn’t exercise the fifth year, so this is basically a contract year for him. He needs to be available.”

STEELERS: Wide receiver Martavis Bryant is a step closer to returning to the league full time.

General Manager Kevin Colbert said Wednesday night that Bryant has been cleared to participate in all preseason activities.

Bryant missed the entire 2016 season while serving a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He was conditionally reinstated by the league in April.

Police in Prince William County, Virginia, issued an arrest warrant for Deyvon Newman, the 25-year-old man who they say impersonated NFL wide receiver Lucky Whitehead when he was cited June 22 for shoplifting $40 worth of goods from a convenience store.

Newman, from Woodbridge, was charged with petit larceny, identity theft and presenting false identification to a law enforcement officer after he gave police Whitehead’s date of birth and social security number (he did not have ID on him at the time of the incident). He is still at large, a Prince William Police spokesman said.

Believing Whitehead was the culprit after comparing photos of the two men, Prince William police issued an arrest warrant for the Manassas native after he failed to appear in court for his July 6 arraignment.

On July 24, the Dallas Cowboys released Whitehead, even though police cleared him of the charges soon after.

He has since signed with the New York Jets.

A fan arrested during a Minnesota Vikings game in December said he is focusing on his excessive-force lawsuit against police after being acquitted this week of criminal charges.

Anastacio Lopez, a lifelong Vikings fan who lives in Texas, was charged after allegedly trying to grab an officer’s stun gun while being escorted from the stadium during the Dec. 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys.

He was acquitted Wednesday of attempting to disarm an officer, due in part to surveillance footage from inside the stadium.

That video shows two officers using their stun guns on Lopez, striking him with closed fists and kneeing him.

Lopez filed his federal civil rights lawsuit in April. Along with police, defendants include the city of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Vikings, and several stadium operators and contractors.

MEXICO HOPES to top last year’s success with the NFL and is trying to extend its three-year deal to host league games.

In 2016, Oakland and Houston played the first regular-season game in Mexico since 2005. This year the Raiders will return to Azteca Stadium to play New England on Nov. 19.

Last year’s game generated $45 million for Mexico City’s economy, according to a league study.

“We need to keep working hard to be as successful as last year in order to have a chance to continue with this project and that the game is here to stay,” Arturo Olive, the NFL Mexico office director, said.

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