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Jonathan Baldwin

Workout Notes: Broncos, Moore, Thomas

December 15th, 2015 at 8:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we learned that former first-round pick Phil Taylor is auditioning for the Vikings. However, he’s not the only notable player to show his stuff for an NFL team this week. Here’s the full rundown:

  • The Broncos auditioned wide receivers DeVier Posey, Greg Little, and Denarius Moore plus running back Daniel Thomas, according to PFT (on Twitter). Moore didn’t have a single reception during his time with the Bills this year and he was cut loose in late November. He worked out for the Packers on December 1st, but nothing came of that tryout.
  • The Broncos also worked out tight end/fullback Manasseh Garner today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Tight end Nick Kasa and quarterback Ryan Lindley also showed their stuff for the Broncos, as Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Panthers worked out former Chiefs first-round pick wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Panthers also auditioned wide receiver Cobi Hamilton, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. Baldwin, the 26th overall pick of the 2011 draft, has 44 career receptions for 607 yards, mostly with the Chiefs.
  • The Cardinals will work out Edmonton Eskimos corner Aaron Grymes today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Grymes was a CFL All-Star this past season, intercepting four passes and even returned one for a touchdown. In three seasons with the Eskimos, Grymes has eight interceptions total.

Giants Worked Out Felix Jones, 14 Others

October 21st, 2014 at 4:31pm CST by Luke Adams

4:31pm: The Giants worked out 15 players in total, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, who provides the full list of participants. Here are the 11 new names:

12:00pm: After losing back-to-back divisional matchups against the NFC-leading Cowboys and Eagles, the Giants are entering their bye week, and are taking the opportunity to look at a handful of free agents. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), running backs Felix Jones and Alex Green are working out for the team.

Green, a former third-round pick who started his career with the Packers, was cut by the Jets in August and has auditioned for the Lions and Panthers since then. As for Jones, there haven’t been many reports on the former Cowboy this year, which is somewhat surprising — while he didn’t do much in limited action for the Steelers last season, he had recorded over 100 carries in each of his previous four seasons in Dallas, and is still just 27 years old.

The fact that the Giants are working out running backs shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a sign that Rashad Jennings‘ recovery is moving slowly, or that the team is looking to add a player at the position. It’s more likely that New York is simply gauging the options in the market at several spots in case the club needs to dip into free agency later in the season.

In fact, Josina Anderson of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that quarterback Terrelle Pryor is also visiting the club today, while Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post adds tight end Tony Moeaki to the list of players auditioning. The Giants’ workout group this work is expected to be large, as Jordan Raanan of NJ.com tweets, so several more participants will likely be reported soon.

Minor Moves: Thursday

August 7th, 2014 at 5:53pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here..

  • Quarterback Tyler Wilson and wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin passed through waivers unclaimed, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Baldwin, soon-to-be 25, was waived by the Lions with a failed physical designation yesterday. Wilson, selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Raiders, was waived-injured by the Titans.
  • With three tight ends unavailable to practice today, the Jaguars addressed the position by signing Fendi Onobun and waiving injured rookie Reggie Jordan, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Onobun, who played one game for Jacksonville in 2011, was one of three tight ends who worked out for the Jaguars after their walk-through. Jordan, an undrafted free agent from Missouri Western, was injured in practice earlier this week.
  • The Raiders announced on Twitter that they have inked free agent kicker Kevin Goessling and waived punter/kicker Michael Palardy to make space. Like longtime Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski, Palardy is a lefty, and played as both a kicker and punter at the University of Tennessee before going undrafted last month. He won’t have an opportunity to follow in his footsteps, however.

Lions Waive Jonathan Baldwin

August 6th, 2014 at 4:24pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 4:24pm: Baldwin’s time as a Lion was short-lived — the team has waived the wide receiver with a failed physical designation, tweets Brian McIntyre.

TUESDAY, 6:21pm: The Lions’ claim of Baldwin is not yet official as the team still needs to evaluate his “medical situation,” coach Jim Caldwell told reporters, including Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.

MONDAY, 3:37pm: The Lions have claimed wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin off waivers from the 49ers, according to Michael Schottey of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Baldwin was cut by San Francisco over the weekend, but had to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent because of his limited service time.

Baldwin, who turns 25 next week, became the third wideout selected in the 2011 draft after A.J. Green and Julio Jones when the Chiefs picked him 26th overall. He ultimately went ahead of fellow wide receivers Torrey Smith, Randall Cobb and Cecil Shorts, but his numbers haven’t come close to matching the production of those players.

Baldwin only caught 41 passes for 579 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his two seasons in Kansas City. The Chiefs traded him to the 49ers last August for another first-round pick, A.J. Jenkins. Baldwin didn’t see the field much with San Francisco, as he had three receptions in seven games during the 2013 season.

In Detroit, Baldwin will be given the opportunity to earn a spot on the Lions’ receiving corps, where there should be at least a couple openings up for grabs in the preseason.

NFC North Notes: Vikings, Packers, Lions

August 6th, 2014 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

After starting 35 games for the Vikings over the last three seasons, Christian Ponder heads into the 2014 preseason as the No. 3 quarterback on the team’s depth chart, behind Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater. However, he’s trying not to let his precarious situation in Minnesota bother him — according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Ponder recognizes that he has to “be prepared” despite not getting as many reps this summer as Cassel and Bridgewater, and adds that he doesn’t expect to be traded before the regular season gets underway.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

  • Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link) has heard there’s been a little dialogue between the Vikings and Brandon Fusco‘s camp about a contract extension for the offensive lineman. However, according to Fusco himself, nothing is imminent at this point. Minnesota’s starting right guard is heading into the final year of his rookie deal.
  • With swing tackle Don Barclay expected to be placed on injured reserve, Packers GM Ted Thompson doesn’t expect his club to be in the market for a veteran offensive lineman, says Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • As we heard last night, the Lions‘ waiver claim of former 49ers wideout Jonathan Baldwin has yet to be finalized, while the team evaluates his medical situation. According to Carlos Monarrez and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Baldwin took his physical on Tuesday, but there are some concerns about his knee. “I’m not sure exactly the timetable on when we have to (make a decision),” head coach Jim Caldwell said. “(GM) Martin (Mayhew) and those guys stay on top of those kind of stuff, but we’re evaluating him right now.”
  • One of the Lions‘ offseason coaching changes involved bringing in a new defensive coordinator, and as Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News writes, newcomer Teryl Austin likes what he has seen from the unit so far.

NFC North Notes: Wilson, Lyerla, Lions

August 4th, 2014 at 9:22pm CST by Matt Feminis

Bears second-year receiver Marquess Wilson will be sidelined indefinitely after he suffered a fractured clavicle on Monday. A second-year pro, Wilson had the inside track on the Bears’ No. 3 receiver job prior to going down. Josh Bellamy was listed behind Wilson on the Bears’ unofficial preseason depth chart, but the team is expected to sign another receiver in Wilson’s absence.

Here’s a few more NFC North news and notes:

  • There’s a legitimate chance 34-year-old safety Adrian Wilson doesn’t make the Bears if he’s not a starter, says Chicago Sun-Times writer Adam Jahns, who lists five Bears with something to prove.
  • Packers rookie tight end Colt Lyerla suffered a knee injury which will keep him out for ‘weeks,’ according to head coach Mike McCarthy (Twitter link). Milwaukee Journal Sentinel beat writer Tyler Dunne spoke with Lyerla’s agent, who said surgery doesn’t look necessary (Twitter link). While the injury throws cold water on one of the more interesting story lines in Packers camp, it could be a blessing in disguise if the team is able to stash the talented undrafted free agent on IR.
  • Adding Jonathan Baldwin to the mix is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Lions, opines ESPN’s Michael Rothstein: “The Lions are always on the search for tall wide receivers, hoping the work ethic and professionalism Calvin Johnson provides can potentially rub off on one of them.”
  • The Lions drafted Nate Freese with the thinking he would take over the team’s kicking duties, but he has not impressed, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. Meanwhile, Italian-born Giorgio Tavecchio is pushing hard for the job, and Justin Rogers of Mlive.com says Freese’s status as a draft pick will not preclude the team does not guarantee anything.
  • “The Vikings are being built the right way, a model that could lead to sustained success if — and this should be written in bold capital letters because it looms over everything else — rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater can develop into their franchise quarterback,” writes Chip Scroggins in the Star Tribune. Scroggins adds the team has 17 “core players,” excluding rookies.

Falcons Notes: Ishmael, Matthews, Hageman, Baldwin

August 3rd, 2014 at 9:27pm CST by Ben Levine

Falcons starting free safety Dwight Lowery suffered his third-career concussion during Friday’s practice and the team quickly made a move to shore up their depth at the position, adding veteran Tyrell Johnson earlier today.

However, if you listen to safety William Moore, you would think the team’s depth at the position is fine – and the veteran is not tooting his own horn. Instead, Moore has been impressed with the progress of second-year defensive back Kemal Ishmael, and the two worked together extensively during Saturday’s practice.

Via ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure…

“Let me tell you something: Kemal is a heck of a player,” Moore said. “He reminds me of myself: one of the underrated guys coming into the league with not much hype. But if you watch Kemal’s ability, one day he’ll gain the attention for people to watch his ability.

“Man, he came out here this year, and I don’t know what he did in the offseason. But he came in lights out.”

Let’s take a look at some more Falcons notes…

  • Falcons first-rounder Jake Matthews has impressed at camp, and NFL.com’s Gil Brandt tweets that the team was originally willing to trade up in the draft to get the offensive lineman. Luckily for Atlanta, Matthews fell to them at pick number-six.
  • Falcons second-round pick Ra’Shede Hageman got in a shoving match with center Joe Hawley during practice, and the rookie ended up hurting his wrist. McClure reported that the injury was believed to be a hairline fracture, but ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio says the player doesn’t have any broken bones.
  • NFL.com reporters Ian Rapoport and Gregg Rosenthal agree that recently-released wideout Jonathan Baldwin would be a good fit with the Falcons (via Rapoport’s Twitter).

49ers Claim L’Damian Washington, Waive Jonathan Baldwin

August 3rd, 2014 at 5:22pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers have claimed wide receiver L’Damian Washington off waivers from the Cowboys, the team announced. To make room on the roster, the team parted ways with former first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin.

Baldwin was the third wideout taken in the 2011 draft when the Chiefs selected him 26th overall. He ultimately went ahead of fellow wide receivers Torrey Smith, Randall Cobb and Cecil Shorts, but his numbers haven’t come close to matching the production of those players. Baldwin only caught 41 passes for 579 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his two seasons in Kansas City. The Chiefs traded him to the 49ers last August for another first-round pick, A.J. Jenkins. Baldwin didn’t see the field much with San Francisco, as he had three receptions in seven games during the 2013 season.

As ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson tweeted out, it’s not that surprising that the 49ers parted ways with Baldwin. Williamson previously said that the 24-year-old didn’t have a shot at making the roster, even after the 49ers reworked the player’s contract.

Washington, an undrafted rookie out of Missouri, was cut by the Cowboys on Friday. The 23-year-old finished his college career with 100 receptions for 1,735 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Sunday Roundup: Sims, ‘Skins, Clausen

June 8th, 2014 at 1:03pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s swing around the league to round up some links this afternoon:

  • Yesterday, we posted a tweet from Chris McCosky of the Detroit News indicating that guard Rob Sims wanted to reach an extension with the Lions, and today McCosky has published a full-length piece on Sims’ hopes to avoid free agency.
  • Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com writes that the Redskins will probably carry nine offensive linemen this season (they carried eight in 2013), and he also examines the team’s punter battle.
  • Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes that the 49ers have $5.725MM in cap space after the Colin Kaepernick extension, the Blake Costanzo signing, and the post-June 1 removal of Carlos Rogers‘ salary from the books. However, Maiocco writes that there is no indication the team is close to new deals with any players seeking extensions.
  • Bill Williamson of ESPN.com believes Jonathan Baldwin has no chance of making the 49ers roster as a receiver.
  • Head coach Marc Trestman says that the Bears‘ signing of Jimmy Clausen has nothing to do with the performance of Jordan Palmer, according to Blake Schuster of the Chicago Tribune.
  • Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (subscription required) looks at five pressing questions facing the Rams this summer.
  • Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post finishes his list of the top second-and third-round draft choices from last month’s draft to keep an eye on in 2014.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com, in response to a reader who wondered if Jets GM John Idzik did not pursue a No. 1 receiver this offseason because of the talent that could be available in the 2015 free agent class of receivers, writes that newly-acquired Eric Decker is, and will be, the No. 1 guy in New York. Cimini appears to imply that the Jets will not be active in the elite wide receiver market next season.
  • Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com examines the Jaguars‘ salary cap situation in 2014 and how much of their $28.4MM in cap space they might roll over into 2015.

NFC Notes: Giants, Ealy, Hatcher, Panthers

May 2nd, 2014 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

Jordan Raanan of NJ.com lists a few of the primary takeaways from Giants GM Jerry Reese’s Thursday press conference, noting that Reese hopes to land two starters in the draft, and that the club will target “clean” players early. In other words, the Giants don’t want a guy with injury concerns or off-field question marks, which helps explain why the team reportedly prefers Zack Martin to Taylor Lewan. Raanan also points out that the New York GM didn’t shoot down the idea that the team could trade backup quarterback Ryan Nassib.

  • Some NFL teams may want Missouri defensive lineman Kony Ealy to put on a few pounds and convert to defensive tackle, which could result in him being drafted earlier than expected, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport identifies the Giants, Rams, Cowboys, and Bears as a few clubs that could have interest in Ealy (Twitter link).
  • He has only been a Redskin for a few weeks, but former Cowboy Jason Hatcher is already enjoying some aspects of the experience more than he did in Dallas, as he told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). “They really take care of the veteran guys,” Hatcher said of the Redskins. “They give us more say-so over the team. This is our team. The head coach don’t want to be policing the team.”
  • ESPN.com’s David Newton reads between the lines of some recent comments by Panthers GM Dave Gettleman to make a case for why Carolina is very unlikely to trade up from No. 28 in next week’s draft.
  • Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets that Jonathan Baldwin‘s fifth-year option was removed from his contract when the 49ers restructured his deal earlier in the offseason. Baldwin’s option wouldn’t have been exercised anyway, but Inman’s tweet confirms that it can’t be.
  • This year’s draft could be a pivotal one for Lions GM Martin Mayhew, as Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News explains.
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