When Doug Baldwin broke into the league in 2011, he had to prove himself to everyone, especially since he was an undrafted free agent. Guys like that always play with a strong chip on their shoulder and he was always one of them. He’s dealt with some injuries over the years which has limited him from seeing the field. Tonight, he took to twitter and announced he was retiring. This comes after the Seahawks released him for failing a physical.
He’s one of the tougher receivers I’ve seen in recent memory. I was reminded so much of Steve Smith Sr anytime I watched him play. He had a knack for infuriating defenses each week he stepped on that field. He was a great route runner who was quick enough to break in and out of his routes, stop and cut on a dime to turn the other direction which made it so difficult for anyone to defend him. He had a great first step when he came off the line to release himself. I’ve seen him leave guys behind him and beat cornerbacks with pure quickness. He was able to create space with his feet and made it look effortless. It seemed as if whenever he was double teamed or the defense had safety help over the top, he always found a way to get open to make that catch his team needed. He was your typical slot receiver but became Russell Wilson’s top target down the field who did so much more such as going deep when most slot guys are known to outmuscle their opponents.
I enjoyed watching him play. He and Russ were one of the best quarterback/receiver tandems in the league. Anytime I saw Wilson scramble and make a throw, more than half the time, I knew Doug Baldwin was coming down with the ball and a big play was going to happen.
