How Doug Baldwin's contract extension could impact Tavon Austin

How Doug Baldwin’s contract extension could impact Tavon Austin

How Doug Baldwin's contract extension could impact Tavon Austin

The Seattle Seahawks solidified their wide receiving corps on Tuesday by extending Doug Baldwin to a four year deal. According to ESPN, the deal is worth $46 million with $24 million guaranteed. That puts Baldwin’s value at just over $11 million per year.

While Baldwin has averaged 79.75 yards per game and scored two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams the last two years, this deal may impact the team more than just on the football field.

It isn’t an immediate situation to address on the agenda, but at some point in the next two years, general manager Les Snead is going to have to extend Tavon Austin. That is, if he wants to keep the former No. 8 overall pick on the roster.

Given that a wide receiver like Baldwin, who isn’t necessarily seen as an elite wide out, will be the seventh highest paid receiver in the NFL, the Rams may have to break the bank for Austin.

Baldwin has just six 100-yard games in five seasons with the Seahawks. To put that in comparison, all six guys getting paid more on average than him have had at least that many over the past two seasons. On top of that, Baldwin just broke 1,000 yards for the first time in his career in 2015.

This doesn’t bode well for the Rams. Even though Austin has yet to break 500 yards receiving in a single season and just recently topped the 50 reception mark last year, this deal is eye-opening for both Austin and the Rams. With Baldwin getting paid $11 million-plus, there’s no question that could wind up being a number that Austin will look to at least match.

Dec 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) warms up before the game between the St. Louis Rams and the Detroit Lions during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

That seems crazy on the surface, as Austin and Baldwin are two completely different wide receivers. Is the Rams receiver really worth more than $11 million per year? While Austin is a guy who can score from all over the field (rushing, receiving and returning), he broke the 1,000 total yard mark for just the first time last season.

Even with that being said, the Rams seem to think he is worth that much, as they will be paying him more than $12 million in 2017 after picking up his fifth-year option back in May. Fans may be disgusted with that number, as the $7-$8 million per year range would be a little easier to swallow.

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However, looking at smaller slot receivers who do similar things to Austin, Percy Harvin signed a deal worth almost $11 million a year in Seattle in 2013, and Randall Cobb signed a $10 million a year deal in 2015.

Both of those receivers had over 3,900 total yards in their careers at that point. Right now, Austin has just over 2,800 and if he puts up 1,100 total yards this season, he will be very comparable to Cobb and Harvin in that aspect.

While Doug Baldwin may not be an elite receiver, he certainly set the new market for the next wave of receivers in the NFL. The Seahawks paid up, which will mean Austin is likely going to be looking for at least that when he is eligible to sign an extension next season.