Pete Carroll: Doug Baldwin had knee, shoulder surgeries, still “counting on” receiver in 2019
Doug Baldwin is rehabilitating both his upper and lower halves to return to the Seahawks’ offense in 2019.
At least his is a well-balanced recovery.
Coach Pete Carroll confirmed then specified Thursday what his general manager John Schneider told The News Tribune Wednesday here at the NFL combine: Baldwin has had two surgeries in the two months since the 2018 season ended. The Pro Bowl veteran wide receiver had procedures on his knee and his shoulder.
“He’s making progress, working at it hard. He’s working at the facility regularly,” Carroll said on the floor of the Indiana Convention Center before his podium appearance for the league’s media covering the annual scouting extravaganza.
“His spirits are good about it. He’s got some work to do. He’s got a shoulder and a knee thing that he’s working on. He got some stuff fixed up.”
Baldwin felt his career mortality during his painful and frustrating 2018. Russell Wilson’s top target since 2014 missed his first games in 6 1/2 years with issues in both knees, two groin injuries and the shoulder pain. While he was hurting, Tyler Lockett had a career year receiving with 57 catches, 965 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games.
Asked if the 30-year-old Baldwin is still central to the Seahawks’ plans in 2019, Carroll said Thursday: “I hope so, yeah.
“I’m counting on it.”
What Baldwin and the Seahawks are also counting on: No way this year can be as much of the painful, grueling grind 2018 was for him.
First, it was a bad knee. That sent Baldwin away for what his coach called “special treatment.” It kept him out all last training camp, plus two of the Seahawks’ first three games of 2018. Those were the first games he’d missed in 6 1/2 years.
Then, it was pain in the other knee. He had a nagging shoulder injury. In November, he got a pulled groin. He played through that—then got another groin injury. His team was listing as an issue with his hip.
He ended missing three games in 2018, and playing hurt through most the other 14.
“Oh, he had a really frustrating year,” Carroll said. “We went through it side by side. It was so difficult to watch him have to go through it. He was such a gallant warrior about fighting through the stuff. Everything he had, he beat the time lines by halves. It was tough—he couldn’t practice the way we like him to and the way he wants to—it was frustrating for him, just the whole thing was.
“The fact that he finished up and made some big plays for us and did some good stuff at the end of the season was really rewarding, but not enough for his expectations and all that. So it was a hard year for him.”
The crack in Delano Hill’s hip the second-year backup safety got in the regular-season finale Dec. 30 against Arizona that kept him out of Seattle’s playoff loss at Dallas the following week has healed to the point Carroll estimated Hill will be able to participate in the Seahawks’ organized team activities and minicamps this spring. Those begin in early May.
Same with Jordan Simmons. The backup guard whom the Seahawks claimed off waivers from Oakland in early September then impressed in three starts filling in for injured right guard D.J. Fluker. Simmons went on injured reserve Dec. 18 because of a knee injury and missed the final three games of last season.
“They’re both doing fine,” Carroll said. “As a matter of fact, I saw Jordan a couple of days ago. He looks great, really positive, upbeat. Those guys are doing fine.
“There’s nothing that’s really in question other than the time line for Will Dissly.”
The wondrous rookie tight end last season from the University of Washington went on injured reserve Oct. 2 after tearing his patellar tendon in his knee in the win at Arizona.
Carroll said Dissly should be back in time for the start of training camp at the end of July.
“We’ve just got to wait him out,” Carroll said. “He’s doing great and he’s working like crazy and all that, but he’s going to take a little longer than the other guys. ...he’s past getting back in April and all that.
“Most everybody should be back and raring to go by the time we get on the field.
“Yeah, we’re very fortunate that we go into the offseason in pretty good shape. The guys are working hard enough and we’re counting on everybody to be back in May.
Simmons could become more prominent in Seattle’s plans for 2019 if the team cannot re-sign starting guards D.J. Fluker and J.R. Sweezy. Both can become free agents March 13.
“I’m counting on him, yeah, I’m counting on him,” Carroll said of Fluker re-signing with the Seahawks, who signed him to a one-year deal last spring then were blown away by his physiciality, positive attitude and locker-room popularity. “He did a great job last year. He had a big impact as did Sweez.
“We want both those guys back.”
This story was originally published February 28, 2019 at 11:10 AM.
