Seahawks Day 2 NFL Draft notebook: Doug Baldwin update; Carroll, Schneider break down each pick
Apr 26, 2019, 9:51 PM | Updated: 10:29 pm
Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin has undergone a series of offseason surgeries. (AP)
(AP)
The second day of the NFL Draft brought the Seahawks three new players and three trades, but the news was eclipsed by a Friday evening report that veteran wide receiver Doug Baldwin could be facing an injury-related retirement.
Seahawks draft tracker: Every selection, trade and upcoming pick
After the third round came to a close, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider recapped the day’s events with reporters. The pair answered questions about Baldwin, as well as draft picks Marquise Blair, D.K. Metcalf and Cody Barton.
Doug Baldwin’s future in Seattle
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, veteran receiver Doug Baldwin is facing the possibility of injury-related retirement following a series of offseason surgeries.
“(Baldwin is) considering (retirement), yeah,” Schneider said when asked about the report. “But there’s a process to go through with that… we’re trying to respect Doug as much as we can.”
“He has been an extraordinary part of this program since we’ve been here,” Carroll added. “He has given us everything he’s had. Been a great competitor, a good player and all that. We believe in him so much and trust him so much that wherever this goes, we’re going to support him forever… so we’ll see what happens, and he’s working through it and we’re going to follow Doug on this one.”
Seahawks excited about Marquise Blair’s toughness
After trading back from No. 37 to No. 47, the Seahawks used their first pick of the second round on Utah safety Marquise Blair.
“We really like him attacking the line of scrimmage,” Carroll said. “He blitzes well, tackles well, hits well, great feel. It’s his toughness that we really are excited about; he happens to be a really good athlete as well. But we’re going to to zero him to make it focused for him as he starts out at strong safety.”
D.K. Metcalf’s role on the offense
Carroll and Schneider selected Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf in the second round, making him the highest-drafted Seahawks wide receiver since Paul Richardson in 2014. Seattle traded up to make the pick, primarily because it wasn’t expecting Metcalf to be available for long. The 6-feet-3, 228-pound receiver drew national attention with his performance at the NFL Combine in February.
Asked what surprised him about Metcalf, Carroll said, “Well, I was surprised he came into our interview with his shirt off… it kind of (ticked) me off, so I took my shirt off too.”
The remark was met with laughs from reporters. But, as it turns out, that really happened.
Watch: Pete Carroll took off shirt when he met D.K. Metcalf
Carroll later said Metcalf’s rare combination of size and speed can bring something new to Seattle’s offense.
“We’ve been attempting to find that guy, because it is a real factor if it fits right,” Carroll said.
“That split end spot is there for a guy that can match up one-on-ones – you get a lot of one-on-ones over there – and if a guy can do a good job of beating who he’s going against then you can have a real weapon on that side. We’ve loved it over the years, but we have not had that guy. D.K. has an opportunity to be that type of player.”
Cody Barton brings ‘true grit’
Barton became the second Ute drafted by Seattle Friday. The Seahawks traded up to select the linebacker with the 88th overall pick.
“Versatility, size… he can play all three spots,” Schneider said when asked what drew the Seahawks to Barton. “(He) has always been a phenomenal special teams player. The guy’s really intense, loves football. He’s got true grit to him.”
Carroll said Barton has a chance to make an immediate impact.
“That versatility is really important to us and we know he’s an incredibly gifted special teams player as well. He’ll have a chance to learn under terrifically experienced guys. He’ll be a great asset to us. We see him being a part of a lot of stuff right off the bat, so we’re really excited about that.”
Still ahead…
The Seahawks have five picks remaining on Day 3 of the draft. Just one, pick No. 124 overall, was part of Seattle’s original four picks.
Round 4, No. 114 (from Green Bay)
Round 4, No. 124
Round 4, No. 132 (from New York Giants)
Round 5, No. 142 (from New York Giants)
Round 6, No. 209 (from Minnesota)
O’Neil: Seahawks’ priority in NFL Draft has been to toughen up on defense
