Falcons Cut Ex-Vikings WR

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

The arrangement didn’t last long.

Falcons Cut Ex-Vikings WR

The Atlanta Falcons cut ties with former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Daylen Baldwin on Thursday with full roster trimdowns 26 days away.

kirk cousins
Michigan wide receiver D. Baldwin (85) runs for a touchdown against Western Michigan during the second half on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. © Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC.

KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweeted, “Falcons waived Daylen Baldwin and John Paddock.”

Baldwin will likely clear the NFL’s waiver wire and hit the open market, free to sign anywhere in the league before the preseason. The Falcons’ first preseason game, on the other hand, takes place on August 9th at the Miami Dolphins.

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John Jones-USA TODAY Sports.

Atlanta signed Baldwin in May, a quiet addition before the start of June’s minicamp. He stuck around for about 10 weeks and will hope for a new employer before too long. The Vikings initially added Baldwin last November after the Cleveland Browns cut ties with the 24-year-old. He stayed for a few weeks, was cut by the Vikings in December, and rejoined on a futures contract in January. That futures agreement was short-lived.

After Baldwin’s waiver, the Falcons’ and Kirk Cousins’ WR room looks like this:

  • Drake London
  • Darnell Mooney
  • Ray-Ray McCloud
  • Rondale Moore
  • KhaDarel Hodge
  • Casey Washington
  • James Washington
  • Josh Ali
  • Chris Blair
  • Austin Mack
  • Dylan Drummond
  • Jesse Matthews
  • Odieu Hiliare

Tight end Kyle Pitts, too, is on the Falcons’ roster and could, unlike years past, be used for a WR2 workload.

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John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports.

Baldwin spent time with the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns in 2022 after an undrafted outcome during that year’s draft. He signed in New York in May 2022, was dropped shortly thereafter, and latched onto Cleveland’s roster in August of the same year. But Baldwin was a roster-trimdown candidate in 2022 and ended up on the Browns’ practice squad.

Then in January 2023, the 23-year-old was signed to a futures contract and stayed attached to the Browns until August 2023 before his waiver. Baldwin waited for his next opportunity until the Vikings’ call, which arrived in November when he initially signed in Minnesota.

Michigan wide receiver Daylen Baldwin (85) runs against Northern Illinois ]during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. © Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC.

During his final season at Michigan, Baldwin played in 14 games and tallied 17 receptions for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also played college ball at Morgan State (2017-2018) and Jackson State (2019-2020).

Even after the Baldwin exit, Atlanta still employs six former Vikings players: Kirk Cousins (QB), Harrison Hand (CB), Taylor Heinicke (QB), Kyle Hinton (OG), Mike Hughes (CB), and Storm Norton (OT).

The Falcons made Vikings-related headlines earlier this week when owner Arthur Blank claimed the Cousins tampering fiasco was an oversight, not malicious.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.