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The Seattle Seahawks have signed receiver Doug Baldwin to a four-year extension worth more than $11 million per year, according to multiple sources like Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport. The total value is believed to be $46 million.
Baldwin led the NFL in touchdown catches last year with 14 as he and Russell Wilson were inseparable in the second half of the season. The total value is just a hair more than what Keenan Allen signed for earlier this month (I wrote about whether or not Baldwin was more valuable than Allen at the time) and is the seventh-biggest deal for a wide receiver right now. Same for APY as only A.J. Green, Alshon Jeffery, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, and T.Y. Hilton make more than $11.5 million per year.
The Seahawks now hold his rights through 2020, at which point he will be 32, so this basically makes Baldwin a Seattle lifer as far as his career will be concerned. Good news for everyone involved, though surprising if you had told people a year ago that he'd soon be one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL. Baldwin had scored just 15 touchdowns over the first four seasons of his career.
He was John Schneider's first huge find in undrafted free agency, leading the team in receiving yards as a rookie with 788 of those things.
Back in February, I predicted Baldwin would sign a four-year extension worth $42 million.
Notable Tweets:
Last year, Doug Baldwin became the first WR (since targets were first tracked in '92) to post a 1,000-yard season and 80% catch rate.
— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) June 28, 2016
— Nathan Ernst (@NathanE11) June 28, 2016
Seahawks veterans under contract through at least 2018: Baldwin, Wilson, Wagner, Sherman, Thomas, Avril, Ryan, Wright, Kearse, Rubin.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 28, 2016
When Doug Baldwin was targeted, Russell Wilson had an NFL QB Rating of 142.8; best for a WR in 2015
— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) June 28, 2016
Only one wide receiver had over 1000 receiving yards just when lining up in the slot in 2015; Doug Baldwin
— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) June 28, 2016