Kansas City Chiefs: 10 Worst Draft Picks Since 1990
By Andrew Jones
8. Jonathan Baldwin (2011): 26th Overall
Baldwin certainly looked the part coming out of Pittsburgh in 2011. The Chiefs needed help opposite Dwayne Bowe as their quarterback at the time wasn’t one to elevate the talent on his team. At 6-4, 230 pounds Baldwin was supposed to be the Chiefs’ red zone target and stretch the field vertically.
He could not beat out Steve Breaston for a starting job, which is red flag No. 1 as a first-round pick. Two highlights from his first season come to mind: his deep touchdown against San Diego and his catch around the back of a Broncos defender that didn’t count because of holding.
Baldwin didn’t fare much better the next year, despite having more starts. He still only caught one touchdown with 20 receptions over the course of the season. To be fair, he played with four different starting quarterbacks during that time.
In 2013 he was traded to San Francisco for another first round, wide receiver bust of the same draft. The trade didn’t really work out for either team and Baldwin is currently a free agent. The Chiefs have not drafted a wide receiver in the first round since 2011, and it doesn’t look like they will this year either.