JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Jaguars may add another former Pro Bowl player to the mix before the start of training camp on July 27.
Former Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge is scheduled to visit and work out for the Jaguars on July 25, a league source told First Coast News on Wednesday.
Entering his 10th NFL season, Barnidge has produced 2,258 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns during his career.
His best season came in 2015 with the Browns, as he posted 1,043 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Barnidge was released by Cleveland following this year's NFL Draft. The Browns used a first-round pick on Miami tight end David Njoku, who is set to take on Barnidge's playing time.
If the Jaguars were to sign Barnidge, it would be a homecoming for the veteran tight end. Barnidge played football at Middleburg High School. He played college football at Louisville
Barnidge was drafted in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
The Jaguars currently have Marcedes Lewis, Mychal Rivera, Ben Koyack, Neal Sterling, Alex Ellis and Caleb Bluiett at tight end.
Lewis and Rivera have been the front-runners for the starting job, but Koyack has been seen as a talented developmental player. Sterling gained more weight this offseason to continue his transition from small school wide receiver to tight end.
Barnidge is a strong blocker and receiver. He offers the Jaguars a stronger combination of those skills than any other current member of the tight end depth chart.
Adding Barnidge to the depth chart could hurt Lewis or Rivera when it comes to receiving playing time or even making the roster.
The Jaguars have Koyack and Sterling as young, cheap options as backup tight ends, so dropping one of the veterans to keep Barnidge would make sense.
Barnidge's workout may have a domino effect on the roster and/or make it harder to earn a job in training camp for the rest of the tight ends.
The roster currently has one open spot following the release of rookie safety Charlie Miller.
Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter at @Mike_E_Kaye.
