How Good Has Doug Baldwin Been?
by Scott Allen on Dec 14, 2011 10:28 AM PST
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PrintDoug Baldwin has been a pleasant surprise for Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks, who signed the former Stanford star as an undrafted free agent. Twenty-eight receivers were selected in the 2011 NFL Draft and Baldwin has outperformed almost all of them. That list includes Seahawks teammate Kris Durham, who was taken in the fourth round and had only 3 catches for 30 yards when he was placed on injured reserve with a labrum injury in early November. It also includes early-round selections such as Julio Jones, Greg Little, and Titus Young.
Here's a look at where Baldwin ranks among this year's rookie receivers:
Receptions: 45 (3rd) -- (Leader: AJ Green, 55)
Receiving Yards: 718 (2nd) -- (Green, 891)
Yards/Catch*: 16.0 (9th) -- (Torrey Smith, 18.7)
Yards/Game: 55.2 (3rd) -- (Green ,74.2)
Touchdowns: 3 (T-5th) -- (Green, 7)
20+ Yard Catches: 18 (1st)
40+ Yard Catches: 2 (6th) -- (Green, 6)
1st Downs: 35 (2nd) -- (Green, 36)
1st Down%*: 77.8 (3rd) -- (Vincent Brown, 93.8)
*Among receivers with at least 16 catches.
Green, who was selected No. 4 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals, has produced like a first round wide receiver should and could develop into a star, despite what Richard Sherman said after the Seahawks played the Bengals earlier this season. What's more, the former Georgia star has done it with fellow rookie Andy Dalton throwing him the ball.
But what Baldwin has accomplished with Tarvaris Jackson under center isn't any less impressive. Many of the other top rookie WRs taken the draft have established or rising stars for quarterbacks. Jackson is neither. One of Baldwin's best catches of the season came in the final minute of the Seahawks' loss to the Cowboys. The game was already decided, but that didn't keep Baldwin from going all out to make an acrobatic catch against Gerald Sensabaugh. The play epitomizes the way Baldwin has played since Seattle gave him a shot.
Cam Newton is a lock to win the NFL's Rookie of the Year award, but Baldwin should earn a spot on the All-Rookie Team. In addition to his receiving numbers, he's been a force on special teams for Seattle. (He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week today.)
Baldwin is up for NFL Rookie of the Week honors after his punt block and touchdown reception on Monday Night Football. You can vote for him here.
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As a Seahawks fan....
I just want to say thank you to Doug Baldwin. I think after seeing Baldwin that more coacches will be taking a chance on Stanford players. I know Pete Carroll said he knew from the beginning that Baldwin would be a player to contribute to the team. Incredible that he stood out that much as an undrafted free agent.
Very surprised
I’ll admit, I didn’t have that much respect for Baldwin, even in his 2010 season. I thought he was benefiting from Harbaugh’s schemes and Luck’s accuracy. Clearly, he made that 2010 team more successful than it would have been without him. We certainly miss him as a deep threat this year. Congrats on how it’s working out.
I’m curious what his contract situation is. Do rookie free agents sign multi-year deals? Or is it likely his contract is up for negotiation at the end of the season? I’ve googled and gotten different answers (seen 3 year deal in one place and 1 year deal in another.) Either way, he’s likely giving huge value to the Seahawks based on his likely relative pittance of a salary ($375K was the estimate I saw.)
I was surprised at how little recognition he got during the 2010 season
I saw him with all these acrobatic catches, between 2 or more defenders, fighting for the ball, and yet, nobody would talk about him or project him into the NFL.
Very happy he is succeeding in the Pros. We are definitely missing him here at Stanford.
Yeah...
What became clear this season is that Luck can put the ball out there, but the receiver still has to go up and catch it. I think Luck’s reads became more conservative as the season went on because he realized that his receivers weren’t nearly as capable of making plays on passes that weren’t perfectly thrown. Baldwin did that routinely last year, to spectacular effect – that should’ve been a sign that he would succeed at the next level.
by RickeySteals on Dec 15, 2011 9:38 AM PST up reply actions
A couple more notes on Baldwin's impressive season
From today’s USA Today article on the Seahawks WR:
- Baldwin is on pace to become the first undrafted rookie to lead his team in catches and receiving yards (since the common draft began in ‘67)
- He is on pace to break James Jett’s record for most receiving yards by an undrafted rookie (Baldwin has 718 yards, Jett had 771)
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