The San Francisco 49ers reportedly traded receiver A.J. Jenkins to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Jonathan Baldwin. Despite 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh saying Jenkins did "OK" in Friday's preseason game, the team exchanged its first round pick from last year in hope of Baldwin providing a better fit.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com first broke the news.
San Francisco selected Jenkins as the 30th pick in the 2012 NFL draft. The receiver out of Illinois never touched the field, however, and questions persisted during training camp about whether the 23-year-old would even make the roster. In two preseason games, Jenkins had one catch, which he turned over on a fumble.
"He did OK," Harbaugh told the team website when asked about Jenkin's second preseason game. "It's a step."
Harbaugh evidently decided the next step was to swap Jenkins for Baldwin.
The 49ers traded for Chiefs receiver Baldwin, the 26th pick of the 2011 draft. Two seasons in Kansas City saw Baldwin catch 41 passes for 579 yards and two touchdowns. Although Baldwin struggled in camp with fumbles, as noted by Chiefs coach Andy Reid, the 49ers seem to believe Baldwin can provide them the deep threat that the offense is lacking, according to NFL.com.
With the absence of receiver Michael Crabtree, the 49ers' receiving corps is questionable. The team's best receiving option is tight end Vernon Davis. Asked about acquiring a receiver in free agency, Harbaugh insisted on giving the wide outs on his roster a chance.
"We're excited for the young receivers that we have," Harbaugh told NFL.com in May. "Really feel that somebody's going to emerge there because they have to. And competition will create that. And we'll look forward to watching that."
