Seattle Seahawks Tender One-Year Deal to Doug Baldwin
By Todd Pheifer
Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Seahawks have business to address as free agency begins. Obviously the biggest focus will be on players like Golden Tate and Michael Bennett, particularly since they are unrestricted free agents.
However, there are other key players that must be signed as well, and that includes wide receiver Doug Baldwin. On March 7, the Seahawks offered Baldwin a one-year deal worth a reported $2.187 million. That amount is set by the NFL collective bargaining agreement because the contract comes with a second-round tender.
What that means is that Baldwin, a restricted free agent, can sign an offer sheet with another team. The Seahawks can match that offer if they so choose. If the offer from the other franchise is more than the ‘Hawks want to pay for Baldwin’s services, Seattle would receive a second-round pick from that team.
Measuring Baldwin’s worth is difficult. He is, for lack of a more technical designation, a very good receiver. Baldwin may never been a “go-to” receiver on offense, but he has proven to be a reliable pass-catcher and a guy who works hard and can make a big play when needed.
Despite the lack of gaudy numbers, Baldwin is valuable to the Seahawks. This is why they used the second-round tender to essentially scare other teams away. The Seahawks are banking on the probability that another team does not think Baldwin is worth a more lucrative contract and a second-round pick. In the NFL, draft picks are a valuable commodity.
Baldwin had this to say on his Twitter:
It will be interesting to see how this unfolds. Baldwin may eventually agree to the contract, but obviously he will want more than a one-year deal. Whether the Seahawks want to talk about a long-term extension remains to be seen.
For now, Baldwin has a one-year offer to come back to Seattle. Welcome to the wacky world of free agency.