Doug Baldwin Signs Four-Year, $46 Million Contract Extension With the Seattle Seahawks

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According to NFL Media Insider, Ian Rapoport, the Seattle Seahawks have signed wide receiver, Doug Baldwin, to a four-year, $46 million contract extension that will keep the former Stanford star under contract with the Seahawks until the 2020 season.

Rapoport also reported, per a source involved with the deal, that the extension includes $24.25 million in guaranteed money, while averaging $11.5 million per season, which is significantly higher than the three-year, $13 million contract that Baldwin signed back in 2014. This will be the third contract in six NFL seasons for the wide receiver.

Over the past two seasons, Baldwin has become the Seahawks top receiver, which included his first 1,000 yard season in 2015, as well as becoming Russell Wilson's favorite target.

Baldwin, 27, was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent after the 2011 NFL Draft. Since then, he's played in every game except for two, and has seen his production increase in each of his first five seasons. The 2015 season was a breakout season for Baldwin that saw him tie for the NFL lead in touchdowns with 14, while hauling in a career-high 78 receptions for a career-high 1.069 yards receiving.

With the retirement of veteran running back, Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks will have to rely on their young running back, Thomas Rawls (entering his second season), to help keep their running game the focal point of their offense.

If Seattle's run game struggles to produce, they can still find success through the air with receivers Tyler Lockett, Jermaine Kearse, Doug Baldwin and tight end Jimmy Graham as they did last year in the second half of the season when Lynch was sidelined with an injury.

During a five game stretch (week 11 - week 15) in the second half of the 2015 season, Russell Wilson threw for 1,420 yards, while throwing 19 touchdown passes to zero interceptions, and completing 74.5 percent of his passes. Wilson would finish the 2015 season by throwing for 4,024 yards, along with 34 touchdown passes to only eight interceptions, as well as rushing for 553 yards and one touchdown.