Doug

Baldwin

Baldwin capped a retrospective on his football life with a Game of Thrones gif displaying the phrase, “My watch has ended.” This was the expected outcome after news broke during the draft that Baldwin was dealing with several injuries which together could end his career. The Seahawks all but made that official by cutting him last week. An undrafted free agent out of Stanford, Baldwin spent all eight of his seasons with the Seahawks, racking up 493 catches, 6,563 yards, and 49 touchdowns. 34 of those scores came in the last four seasons including 14 in a breakout 2015. Baldwin was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2016 and 17, and he won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2013.

It paves the way for Baldwin to officially retire. Baldwin had reportedly been holding off on making a public announcement until he was cut. The release was necessary for arcane financial reasons related to NFL rules. A 2011 UDFA, Baldwin made an immediate impact out of the slot, posting a 51/788/4 line as a rookie. He was similarly productive until 2014, when he exploded for 14 touchdowns and his first 1,000-yard campaign. Baldwin had remained in the upper echelon of receivers since but was increasingly beset by injury woes, including a season-long knee issue in 2018. Although still only 30, Baldwin made the determination that his body could simply no longer hold up to the rigors of NFL football. For their part, the Seahawks aggressively addressed receiver in the draft. Tyler Lockett is the new No. 1 in Seattle.

Essentially, Baldwin could lose a “couple” million dollars off his signing bonus if he officially retires. For a variety of monetary reasons, he is better off waiting for the Seahawks to release him. Garofolo firmly believes the 30-year-old wideout has played his final down.

The Seahawks have been surprisingly upfront about Baldwin’s situation, admitting that he is considering retirement. The Seahawks certainly approached the draft like Baldwin will not be back, taking three wideouts. 30-year-old Baldwin seems sadly likely to hang up his cleats.

Carroll confirmed that Baldwin is considering retirement, but he declined to discuss the exact nature of his health issues. Carroll said the wideout was working through a “process.” When asked if Baldwin had played his final NFL game, Carroll did not answer. For their part, the Seahawks added to their receiver corps on Friday night, selecting Ole Miss’ D.K. Metcalf. You can connect the dots. It would be a sad, sudden end to a unique career.

Baldwin was a shell of his former self last season while battling multiple injuries and underwent knee, shoulder and hernia surgeries this offseason. The 30-year-old has long been one of the league’s better slot receivers and a trusted safety net for Russell Wilson. Baldwin’s uncertain future could have been a factor in the Seahawks drafting Ole Miss standout D.K. Metcalf with the 64th pick on Friday night. The Stanford alum’s 493 catches rank third in franchise history behind Brian Blades and Hall of Famer Steve Largent.

Baldwin will miss at least 6-8 weeks after sports hernia surgery. He’s likely to sit out all of OTAs. Baldwin also had knee and shoulder surgeries earlier this offseason, but he could be cleared for the start of training camp if he avoids setbacks.

It’s been a busy offseason for Baldwin, who has already been under the knife twice. In addition to his previous knee and shoulder surgeries, the Seahawks slot receiver will soon undergo a third operation to address a sports hernia. The 6-8 week timetable suggests Baldwin will miss most if not all of OTAs, though he should be nearing full strength by the time training camp opens in late July. The 30-year-old finished last season on a tear with four touchdowns over his final four games, though durability concerns continue to cloud his fantasy outlook.

Baldwin has already undergone knee and shoulder surgeries, and now he will have a third operation. He was originally expected to be ready for training camp, but this could push his timetable back. Baldwin caught just 50 passes for 618 yards last year as he struggled through injuries.

Baldwin already had knee and shoulder surgeries after the season. He could need a sports hernia procedure to fix an injury he dealt without throughout 2018. Baldwin was expected to be ready for the start of training camp, but this could push back his timetable.