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July 19 (UPI) -- Free agent tight end Gary Barnidge will visit the Jacksonville Jaguars next week. A source told NFL Network that Barnidge will workout on Tuesday for the franchise. A league source first told the news to First Coast News. The Cleveland Browns released the 31-year-old in April. Barnidge had 612 yards and two touchdowns on 55 receptions last season for the Browns. He was a Pro Bowler in 2015, after gaining 1,043 receiving yards and score nine times on 79 receptions.
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The Carolina Panthers picked Barnidge in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the Panthers before joining the Browns in 2013.
The Browns drafted Miami's David Njoku in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Jacksonville has Marcedes Lewis, Mychal Rivera, Ben Koyack, Neal Sterling, Alex Ellis and Caleb Bluiett at tight end, after trading Julius Thomas in February to the Miami Dolphins.
Barnidge was born in Middleburg, Fla. and went to Middleburg High School. His hometown is about an hour south east of downtown Jacksonville.
Jacksonville currently has an opening on its roster after the release of Charlie Miller earlier this week.
Barnidge has visited the Buffalo Bills and has been linked to the Baltimore Ravens, Panthers and Denver Broncos. The Louisville product said he would like to be a team's top tight end option, but he wouldn't have a problem with a mentor role.
"Of course, I would love to be the [No. 1] guy," Barnidge told Bruce Murray and Brady Quinn on the SiriusXM Blitz. "I've showed the last two years, with multiple different quarterbacks, I was still able to produce without one single guy, whether it be injuries or just things not working out."
"I've shown I've been able to produce with multiple guys throwing the ball. But I don't think that's an issue, but if they want me to come in and help mentor, I've got no problem doing that, either."
The Jaguars' first practice of training camp is on July 27.
