San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jon Baldwin (84) during the first quarter. Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jon Baldwin is stuffed near the bottom of the depth chart due to his rawness, and he desperately needs to prove that he isn’t a bust. Baldwin has all the talent in the world, but the formerly touted Pittsburgh product wore out his welcome with the Kansas City Chiefs due to horrible drops, ridiculously inconsistent play, poor work ethic, and a reputation for rocking the boat. Baldwin was shipped off to the San Francisco 49ers for another bust in A.J. Jenkins, who doesn’t have those character concerns but didn’t even show a semblance of talent while with the Niners.
Initially set to make $1.4 million this upcoming season (none of it guaranteed), the 24-year-old looked like a potential cap casualty due to his paycheck and woeful lack of production. However, Baldwin decided to do the smart thing and take a paycut to ensure that he will get to spend at least one more offseason with one of the NFL’s best organizations.
Per a source close to ESPN Boston’s Field Yates , Baldwin “reworked” his deal and will now make $645,000 next season with $755,000 in incentives. Hopefully the incentives help Baldwin do better, because he will have to work for the numbers that will lead to a better paycheck. There’s still hope that his talent can pan out, but the 49ers won’t be counting on anything out of him. I’m sure he’s on his last leash, and he will run out of opportunities to impress if he doesn’t perform well in 2014.