Showing posts with label Jonathan Baldwin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jonathan Baldwin. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Chiefs Free Agency Overview

The NFL free agent signing period has opened, and the Kansas City Chiefs will be looking to fill several holes on its roster. The team has already been busy this offseason, acquiring new players while releasing several veterans.

The Chiefs have made two big acquisitions already this offseason – trading two draft picks for 49ers quarterback Alex Smith and signing defensive back Dunta Robinson. Smith should be an instant upgrade at quarterback, while Robinson will bring experience to a defensive backfield that struggled last season. The team also resigned wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, tackle Branden Albert and punter Dustin Colquitt. To clear up cap space for these signings, the team released tackle Eric Winston, tight end Kevin Boss and wide receiver Steve Breaston.

Kansas City has already done a good job of addressing some glaring needs, but the team still has several holes to fill. The Chiefs could use some help at wide receiver, especially after letting Breaston go. Former first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin has been a bust so far in the NFL, and the team will need to find another target to pair with Bowe for Smith to throw to. Losing Boss makes the tight end position thin as well, and the team could use some insurance behind Tony Moeaki, who has struggled with injuries in his career.

Defensively, the Chiefs could use more depth in the secondary and will have to find a capable starting inside linebacker next to Pro Bowler Derrick Johnson. Despite spending several early draft picks on defensive lineman over the past several years, the team could also still use an upgrade there.

New general manager John Dorsey could have a lot of flexibility in how he will build the Chiefs’ roster, as the team has several unrestricted free agents. Dorsey will need to figure out which players to bring back first, and then start finding free agents that can address some glaring needs on the roster, particularly at wide receiver, tight end and linebacker.

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Friday, November 16, 2012

Kansas City Chiefs - Cincinnati Bengals Preview

After losing to the Steelers in overtime, the Chiefs return home to host the Cincinnati Bengals (4-5), who are currently fighting for a playoff spot in a very even AFC. The game will begin at 12:00 p.m.

Kansas City had a great opportunity to knock off Pittsburgh last week, but several untimely penalties prevented the team from expanding an early lead. After making a brilliant throw to help the Chiefs force OT, quarterback Matt Cassel was picked off in the extra period which essentially ended the game. Turnovers have been the biggest reason why the Chiefs currently sit at 1-8. Jamaal Charles is quietly having another strong season, and Kansas City will need him to have a monster game to score points. The Chiefs receiving unit is very banged up, as Jonathan Baldwin is out with a concussion and leading receiver Dwayne Bowe has been limited by a hamstring injury.

Many Chiefs fans have speculated that Brady Quinn would get another shot at the starting quarterback role, but Matt Cassel has been officially named the starter for Sunday. Head coach Romeo Crennel has stated that Quinn is still recovering from his concussion and has not yet been cleared to play.

The Bengals are coming off their most impressive performance of the year, a 31-13 win over the defending champion New York Giants. Andy Dalton has become a solid NFL quarterback, and receiver A.J. Green has quickly become one of the league’s top wideouts. The Chiefs defense has not lived up to its preseason expectations, but it has the talent to keep the Bengals offense in check. Kansas City will likely need to force a few turnovers to slow down Dalton and Green and give its struggling offense a short field to work with.

The Chiefs proved last week that when they limit turnovers (Kansas City had zero during regulation) they can still compete with anyone. Still, it is hard to see this team repeating that type of performance two weeks in a row, especially with a banged up receiving unit. The Bengals are fighting for a playoff spot and have a lot of confidence, and also may be getting several good players back from injury. The Chiefs will likely need a few turnovers to pull this one out.

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Friday, October 19, 2012

Dwayne Bowe Pushing For Trade Out Of Kansas City

Reports are surfacing that Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe is pushing hard for an exit from Kansas City. With the Chiefs tied for the worst record in the NFL, many predict that the team will deal Bowe in an effort to blow things up and gain a draft pick or young players in return.

This really shouldn’t be a surprise to Chiefs fans, as Bowe did not receive a long-term deal from the franchise in the off-season. Bowe was given the franchise tag, and reluctantly signed his deal just a few weeks before the regular season started. Now that the Chiefs are 1-5, there is no long-term contract binding Bowe to spend his future with a bad team. Bowe will also be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and at this point it seems like there is no chance of him signing a deal in Kansas City.

With Bowe’s days in Kansas City numbered, it makes sense that the team would trade him now to get something back in return. The biggest team being mentioned in trade rumors are the Miami Dolphins, who have some draft picks to deal after picking up extra second and third round picks by trading Vontae Davis and Brandon Marshall. The Dolphins have talent at running back and spent an early first-round pick on QB Ryan Tannehill, yet have few playmakers at receiver. Bowe would give Tannehill a big body to throw to, and would immediately push the Dolphins into the playoff picture. Miami is tied for first in the AFC East, and with how bad the entire AFC has been this season, they would have a great shot to make the postseason.

If the Chiefs make this move, it is clear they are planning for the future. The team already has a poor passing game, and losing its top wide out would cripple the KC offense. The Chiefs invested a first round pick two drafts ago in Jonathan Baldwin, however the young receiver hasn’t done much so far in Kansas City.

The Chiefs had an opportunity to wrap Bowe up this offseason, but failed to offer him a long-term deal. It is clear that Bowe will be leaving Kansas City once the regular season ends, and it is important for the Chiefs to get something of value in return.

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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Several Questions Following The Chiefs Loss To The Falcons

The Chiefs’ season opener is in the books, and the team will try to regroup after an embarrassing home loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Kansas City still has some major question marks on both sides of the ball in regards to injuries and personnel decisions, and it will be interesting to see how this translates to the team’s second game against the Buffalo Bills.

The biggest question regarding the defense is whether or not Brandon Flowers will be able to play this Sunday. After it appeared that Flowers would be able to go against the Falcons, he was held out of the game due to an ongoing foot injury. Head coach Romeo Crennel has stated that if Flowers can practice, he will play. This week’s practices will be a telling sign on whether or not Flowers is ready to start again for the Chiefs. Flowers’ return is even more crucial because his normal backup, Jalil Brown, is battling a groin injury and barely played against Atlanta. Jacques Reeves got torched by Julio Jones several times on Sunday, showing how crucial a healthy Flowers is to the defense.

One player who was missing Sunday that will for sure suit up against the Bills is Tamba Hali, who has served his one-game suspension and is officially back. Kansas City’s pass rush against the Falcons was weak – while Justin Houston got a sack and pressured Matt Ryan several times, Edgar Jones (who played in Hali’s spot on passing downs) failed to get to Ryan. Hali’s return should make a big difference this Sunday against Buffalo.

Offensively, most Chiefs fans are wondering where last year’s first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin has gone. Against Atlanta, Baldwin did not start (the Chiefs started Steve Breaston and Dexter McCluster) and did not receive a target. It didn’t seem like he even got on the field. For the game, McCluster received ten targets, while Dwayne Bowe and Tony Moeaki each received six. The coaches raved about Baldwin during training camp, and it appeared that he was on the verge of breaking out and having a big season. Not seeing him get much action has to be disheartening for Chiefs fans, and many will wonder if the team has yet again whiffed on a first round pick.

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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Chiefs Fail To Reach Long-Term Deal With Dwayne Bowe

The Chiefs and Dwayne Bowe had until 3:00 p.m. yesterday to reach a long-term contract agreement, and both sides were unable to strike a deal. That now means that Bowe will now have to agree to play the 2012 season with a one year deal worth $9.5 million.

Bowe has officially been holding out since Kansas City slapped the franchise tag on him in March, and he has refused to sign the one-year tender the Chiefs have offered, holding out for a long-term deal with more money guaranteed. Bowe has been the Chiefs leading receiver over the past two seasons, and made the pro bowl after his stellar 2010 campaign. He reportedly was looking for a contract similar to the one Vincent Jackson received from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $55 million over 5 years – although it was highly unlikely from the start that the Chiefs would commit to that amount of money.

It is hard to predict the outcome of this situation, as many are unsure of how badly the Chiefs want to sign Bowe to a long-term contract. Bowe has had his ups and downs, but there is no denying his productivity recently, despite some inconsistent play from his quarterbacks. However, the Chiefs will have a lot of players to resign in 2013 when the contracts of Branden Albert, Jovan Belcher, Glenn Dorsey, Brandon Siler and Dustin Colquitt are all up, which means Kansas City might want to have some cap flexibility. Also keep in mind that the Chiefs selected Jonathan Baldwin in the first round last year, and have beefed up their WR depth over the last two offseasons.

In the meantime, the ball is in Bowe’s court. He can sign for one season and negotiate with the Chiefs later, or he can continue to hold out and opt not to play this year. No matter where you stand on Bowe and what he deserves, one thing is certain – Kansas City is a much better football team with him on the field.

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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Breaking Down the Chiefs' WR Position

The Kansas City Chiefs have made an effort to surround QB Matt Cassel with more weapons to work with, including an upgraded receiving corps. The Chiefs already boast one of the top rushing attacks in the league, and if the team can find some consistency and explosiveness with its wideouts, Kansas City will likely have one of the best offenses in the NFL.

Dwayne Bowe finally delivered the type of performance Kansas City fans thought he was capable of last year, earning a pro bowl bid after a monster regular season. While Bowe produced like a bona fide top WR, Kansas City struggled to find other receivers to take some of the heat off him and spread the field. The Chiefs upgraded their receiver corps this offseason by signing Steve Breaston, who has been productive in his first few seasons in the league. If Breaston can stay healthy, he should have a strong first season in Kansas City.

Since Breaston will likely be used more as a slot receiver, the attention now turns to who will start on the outside opposite of Bowe. The Chiefs selected Jonathan Baldwin in the first round of the draft, and by all accounts, the rookie has been impressive so far in camp. However, Kansas City currently has Jerheme Urban listed as the starter opposite of Bowe. Urban showed a lot of promise in Arizona before missing last season with a broken hand, and his experience could help him get the nod over Baldwin early in the season. No matter who starts, expect both to be mixed into the passing game with Bowe, Breaston and tight end Tony Moeaki.

Kansas City will likely keep Terrance Copper as the team's fifth receiver due to his ability on special teams and may keep Jeremy Horne as a sixth receiver. Horne, who signed with the Chiefs as an rookie free agent in 2010, spent last season on the team's practice squad.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Chiefs Sign First Round Pick Jonathan Baldwin, Several Free Agents

Kansas City has signed its first round pick from the 2011 draft. The Chiefs reached terms with WR Jonathan Baldwin, inking the former Pittsburgh star to a four year deal with an option for a fifth season.

While the news was expected, the Chiefs can breath a sigh of relief now that the team doesn't have to suffer through a messy holdout from its top draft selection. Despite being a rookie, Baldwin is expected to be an immediate contributor to Kansas City's offense, pairing with pro bowler Dwayne Bowe and the newly acquired Steve Breaston to give the Chiefs one of the strongest WR corps it has had in years.

Signing Baldwin means that Kansas City has now come to terms with every one of its draft picks except Justin Houston. Houston, a defensive end selected in the third round out of Georgia, was expected to contend for some serious playing time this season, and should be a priority for the Chiefs now that Baldwin is signed.

Apart from Breaston, the Chiefs also announced several other roster additions - all players who played for Kansas City last year. The team will be bringing back center Casey Wiegmann, tight end Leonard Pope, wide receiver Terrance Copper, running back Jackie Battle, safety Jon McGraw, cornerback Travis Daniels and tackle Ryan O'Callaghan. Fullback Mike Cox signed his restricted free agent tender, while safety Reshard Langford signed an exclusive rights free agent tender. The team released 2008 third round pick Brad Cottam, who was unable to recover from a serious vertebra injury sustained in 2009.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Chiefs' 2011 Draft Recap

The 2011 NFL draft is over, and most experts felt that Kansas City did a decent job. While the Chiefs' first pick was somewhat of a surprise, Kansas City addressed areas that had to be upgraded, and did a good job of building quality depth.

Kansas City had two primary goals entering the 2011 NFL draft - find another pass catcher to compliment Dwayne Bowe and another outside linebacker to take some of the pressure of Tamba Hali. Jonathan Baldwin will hopefully be the receiver the Chiefs need, but it was Kansas City's next picks that impressed the draft experts. The offensive line got some much-needed depth with the arrival of Rodney Hudson, and finding OLB Justin Houston in the third round was a steal. Houston was projected by many to be a first round selection, however a failed drug test gave Houston a red flag, and he fell into Kansas City's lap in the third round. The character issues are a bit concerning, but Houston has the talent to be a star. He was certainly worth a gamble with a third round pick.

The Chiefs's later round selections were also quality picks. Massive NT Jerrell Powe has the potential to be a run-stopping machine, and adds depth and competition to a position of weakness on Kansas City's defensive line. QB Ricky Stanzi should add solid depth, and teams have often grabbed quarterbacks late in the draft, developed them, then traded them later for a higher draft pick.

While on paper the Cheifs' draft looks good, one must be concerned with character issues. Baldwin has been described as a potential diva and Houston failed two drug tests last year (a failed test in the NFL will lead to an automatic suspension). Kansas City addressed the areas it needed to, and hopefully gambles like Houston pay off.

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