Seattle Seahawks Pay Doug Baldwin

The Seattle Seahawks are paying Doug Baldwin now!

Retired running back Marshawn Lynch was once the heart beat of that offense. But now, the offense is in the hands of quarterback Russell Wilson, whom the team has given more responsibility to over the last couple of years.

And Wilson responded with over 4,000 yards passing with 34 TDs and a quarterback rating of 110.1. Tight end Jimmy Graham, one of the games best tight ends, came in and helped out.  Receivers Jermaine Kearse and Tyler Lockette were also a big help to Wilson.

But Baldwin was Wilson’s main man in 2015 with 1,069 receiving, and 14 TDs. The Seahawks want to keep that connection so they signed Baldwin to a four-year, $46 million contract extension Tuesday to keep him under contract through the 2020 season.

The new contract includes $24.25 million in guarantees, averages $11.5 million annually, a hefty raise from the three-year, $13 million contract signed in the spring of 2014. Kearse became the Seahawks’ highest-paid receiver when he signed his deal in March but now, things are in order.

In Baldwin’s breakout campaign in 2015, quarterbacks had the NFL’s top passer rating when targeting him (139.9) last season. He also had a stretch where he scored 11 touchdowns in the final six regular-season games after managing the same number in his previous 43 contests.

Baldwin does it all as a sure-handed receiver, great route runner and willing run blocker. He’s just the kind of player that anyone would want on their team period. So it looks like the Seahawks are making sure they keep the right players around Wilson for years to come with Lynch now gone.