The Seahawks lost much more than a top wide receiver when Doug Baldwin was released. They lost a great leader. Who can step up to stoke the fire in Seattle?
Doug Baldwin meant much more to the Seahawks than yards and touchdowns. He had plenty of those: over 6500 yards and 49 scores. He meant more than one-handed catches, although he had more than his share. Baldwin was the guy who ran every ball into the end zone in practice because that’s where every pass should end. Baldwin was the guy who convinced his teammates they could do anything, as long as they had the will.
Doug Baldwin could inspire his teammates to exceed all expectations because he that was his life. He was an undrafted free agent who fought his way into an NFL camp, then onto a roster, and finally into the top echelon of NFL receivers. Doug Baldwin had plenty of talent, but nothing is cheaper than talent in the NFL. JaMarcus Russell, anyone? No, what Doug Baldwin had – and still has – is more fire than anyone in the league. There has ever been a better example of making the most of your ability than Angry Doug.
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So who can replace him for the Seahawks? No, not the yards or the touchdowns. Tyler Lockett stepped up last year with by far his best season, a season that fits right in with Baldwin’s best. With all the talent the Seahawks have at wide receiver for 2019, the production will be just fine. We’re not talking about catching footballs. We’re talking about catching fire. Who’s going to get into Russell Wilson when he needs a spark? Who’s going to light up the team when things look lost? Who’s the new Angry Doug?
Okay, that’s asking too much. There won’t be a new Angry Doug, because the man is one of a kind. But the Seahawks do have a few guys who aren’t afraid to speak up. Players who aren’t afraid to take the heat of being the leader. Will they be as vocal as Baldwin, or Kam Chancellor? Maybe not, but these three players have already put themselves out front.
It isn’t often that an offensive lineman takes a leadership role, but that’s exactly what D.J. Fluker has done. It was pretty hard to miss his comments about the Rams last season. Expect much more of the same. Bradley McDougald is another player who has stepped up his leadership game. Subbing for both Chancellor and Earl Thomas would tend to keep you a bit quieter than others. In their absence, McDougald has proven he was a great investment as a player and a leader.
If I don’t mention Bobby Wagner while talking about leaders, I’ll never hear the end of it. Wagner isn’t as fiery as Baldwin, to be sure. His style is different. But there’s no doubt that he commands respect for much more than his play. Consider the role he’s playing at the OTAs. He isn’t playing any snaps for these voluntary workouts, but he’s there on the field, coaching up his guys. He isn’t out of state, sulking over his extension. He’s there for his team, which is why they’ll be there for him when the plays count.
No, no one can lead a team the way Doug Baldwin did. Fluker, McDougald, and Wagner can’t do it Doug’s way. They have to do it in their own style. That’s precisely what they’re doing, and that’s precisely why the Seahawks won’t let the fire of Angry Doug ever go out.