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Seattle passing game

Baldwin news the latest blow

The Seahawks say Doug Baldwin entered training camp experiencing knee soreness, and will be sidelined "a few weeks." I'm making somewhat of a leap here, but the oddly lengthy timetable (not "day-to-day," for example) makes me think they know more than they're saying; that there's something more here than simple soreness. I hope I'm wrong, but it's not unreasonable to be worried about Baldwin being 100 percent for the start of the season.

The former undrafted free agent is as tough as they come, missing only 2 games in his seven-year career. I don't have much doubt he'll be out there when the games start. But sore knees entering camp doesn't suggest a problem that will go away with a few weeks rest; it might be an issue he has to deal with at the start of the season, sitting out practices and making missing some snaps during games. When I'm in drafts and he comes up in the rankings, I'm probably going to be looking at comparable players maybe a spot or two behind him.

Of broader concern is the fact that Baldwin is the clear No. 1 receiver in Seattle's offense, and the Seahawks have already said goodbye to their No. 2 and 3 receivers from last year, at least in terms of targets. Seattle had three players targeted at least 75 times a year ago. Baldwin is the only one still on the roster.

RECEIVER TARGETS, 2017 (75-PLUS)
PlayerRecYdsTDTgt
DeAndre Hopkins, Hou.96137813174
Antonio Brown, Pitt.10115339163
Jarvis Landry, Mia.1129879161
Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz.10911566161
Keenan Allen, LAC10213936159
Michael Thomas, N.O.10412455149
Julio Jones, Atl.8814443148
A.J. Green, Cin.7510788143
Adam Thielen, Minn.9112764142
Demaryius Thomas, Den.839495140
Mike Evans, T.B.7110015136
Dez Bryant, Dall.698386132
Travis Kelce, K.C.8310388122
Alshon Jeffery, Phil.577899120
Golden Tate, Det.9210035120
Davante Adams, G.B.7488510117
Doug Baldwin, Sea.759918116
Evan Engram, NYG647226115
Robby Anderson, NYJ639417114
Brandin Cooks, N.E.6510827114
Christian McCaffrey, Car.806515113
Delanie Walker, Tenn.748073111
Devin Funchess, Car.638408111
Zach Ertz, Phil.748248110
T.Y. Hilton, Ind.579664109
Jack Doyle, Ind.806904108
Marvin Jones, Det.6111019107
LeVeon Bell, Pitt.856552106
Rob Gronkowski, N.E.6910848105
Kenny Stills, Mia.588476105
Marquise Goodwin, S.F.569622105
Tyreek Hill, K.C.7511837105
Jamison Crowder, Wash.667893103
Jermaine Kearse, NYJ658105102
Michael Crabtree, Oak.586188101
Alvin Kamara, N.O.818265100
Jimmy Graham, Sea.575201096
DeVante Parker, Mia.57670196
Amari Cooper, Oak.48680796
Marqise Lee, Jac.56702396
Mohamed Sanu, Atl.67703596
Nelson Agholor, Phil.62768895
Stefon Diggs, Minn.64849895
Cooper Kupp, LAR62869594
Duke Johnson, Clev.74693393
Emmanuel Sanders, Den.47555292
Randall Cobb, G.B.66653492
Mike Wallace, Balt.52748492
Kendall Wright, Chi.59614191
DeSean Jackson, T.B.50668390
Brandon LaFell, Cin.52548389
Carlos Hyde, S.F.59350088
Jordy Nelson, G.B.53482688
Jason Witten, Dall.63560587
Todd Gurley, LAR64788687
Rishard Matthews, Tenn.53795487
Jared Cook, Oak.54688286
Eric Ebron, Det.53574486
Danny Amendola, N.E.61659286
Robert Woods, LAR56781585
Martavis Bryant, Pitt.50603384
Sterling Shepard, NYG59731284
Melvin Gordon, LAC58476483
Eric Decker, Tenn.54563183
Adam Humphries, T.B.61631183
Keelan Cole, Jac.42748383
Kyle Rudolph, Minn.57532881
Paul Richardson, Sea.44703680
Benjamin Watson, Balt.61522479
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt.58917779
Josh Doctson, Wash.35502678
Terrance Williams, Dall.53568078
Kelvin Benjamin, 2 tm48692378
Cameron Brate, T.B.48591677
LeSean McCoy, Buff.59448277

Of course, those targets have to go somewhere. Tyler Lockett, for one; he was 4th on the team a year ago in that regard, and will now be a starter opposite Baldwin. And then?

Seattle signed a pair of free agents, Jaron Brown and Brandon Marshall. The latter seems like a long shot for the roster (and at 34, a long shot to stay healthy). But to push him off the roster, some youngster who's done nothing to this point will need to emerge. Last year's third-rounder Amara Darboh is your dynasty sleeper; Pete Carroll praised him yesterday. Praise from the relentlessly sunny Carroll doesn't always mean much, but better than the alternative. The linked article notes also that Brown is having a nice camp; he and Darboh are likely battling for that No. 3 role.

What's clear is that Darboh, Brown and Lockett are going to get a lot of reps in the preseason. Because it looks unlikely that we'll see any of Baldwin.

--Andy Richardson

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