Or not. In an exchange of massively disappointing WRs, the 49ers traded AJ Jenkins to the Kansas City Chiefs for Jon Baldwin. Baldwin has been labelled a bust due to his propensity of dropping a lot of passes, and for the inexplicable ‘talent’ of making easy catches harder by not using both hands. AJ? Well, the label on him is pretty well documented. He showed up last year out of shape and did little to get in shape or prepared to see the field. 3 targets and 0 catches his first year. This season he supposedly rededicated himself to the game, and promised to work out and get with the program. Instead, He spent camp catching and falling down. Apparently avoiding contact at all costs. In 2 preseason games, AJ has one catch for 12 yards that he promptly fumbled.

So, who got the better end of the deal? Well, based on the numbers, the Niners in a landslide. Well, molehill slide. At least Baldwin has made plays. And scored some points. And put up yards in actual games. Thing is, he’ll more than likely be on the team as his contract is guaranteed through this season. Yes, this smacks of desperation on the Niners part. They need WRs like Eskimos need cold. But it also goes to show that some team will always take someone else’s garbage. AJ could have very well been cut after the preseason. But I guess the same can be said of Baldwin. Baldwin is fast, though, so the thought that we now have a vertical guy is at least better than the AJ option. 

But yeah, in the end, both were busts. However, I think the upside is better with a guy like Baldwin than Jenkins. Jenkins appears to have a pretty small heart. It’s harder to teach heart than it is to teach hands.