'Angry Doug' Baldwin now established leader for Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin talks to reporters following NFL football practice, Thursday, June 9, 2016, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin talks to reporters following NFL football practice, Thursday, June 9, 2016, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Photo: Ted S. Warren/AP Photo: Ted S. Warren/AP Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close 'Angry Doug' Baldwin now established leader for Seahawks 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

RENTON -- Doug Baldwin has outgrown his nickname.

The Seahawks wideout, known in past seasons for the boulder-sized chip on his shoulder and a penchant for overly emotional -- and sometimes downright surly -- behavior, has matured past "Angry Doug" and into a role as a veteran leader among a young, talented group of Seattle receivers.

Speaking with reporters after the team's final open organized team activities (OTA) session on Thursday, Baldwin reflected on the changes in his life over the past year, including a record-setting receiving season in 2015, his March engagement and the prospect of a new contract -- one that could pay him up to $10 million per season -- on the horizon.

It was a lot for the usually verbose Baldwin to consider.

"I don't even know how to quantify it," Baldwin said after a pause when asked about the last year of his life. "I would just say it's just a process that a young man has to go through. I'm growing up."

Baldwin turns 28 in September, making him the second-oldest receiver on Seattle's roster (Doug McNeil, who has not played a regular-season NFL snap, is two months older). And as one of only two players at the position with more than two years of NFL experience -- Jermaine Kearse being the other -- Baldwin has moved past the days of demanding the respect of his teammates, opponents and observers alike.

Early in his career, Baldwin was prone to outbursts of emotion when demanding attention, famously calling out Hall of Fame receiver and ESPN NFL analyst Cris Carter when Carter referred to the Seahawks receivers as "appetizers" ahead of Super Bowl XLVIII. But time, along with a 2015 season that justified his self-belief in ways he probably never could have imagined, has taken some of the spark out of the former loose cannon.

Baldwin is now widely considered one of the game's best receivers after a year in which he tallied a career-high 78 receptions for 1,069 yards and broke the franchise record with 14 receiving touchdowns, which tied for the league lead. Last month, he was named the No. 72 overall player in the NFL by his peers.

After working to establish himself as a bona fide contributor, Baldwin said he now takes more pleasure in helping the younger players on the team, taking after some of the veterans who helped him in his first few NFL seasons.

"Before I became a leader, I thought success was all about building myself up," Baldwin said. "And then once I became a leader, I realized that success is about building others up. And that's where I'm at right now. I'm focused on helping the other guys as much as I can, giving them the tools that they need to be successful, just like Sidney Rice did for me when I first came in."

Part of that process involves a close critique of his fellow receivers, which Baldwin displayed on Thursday, offering scouting reports on Tyler Lockett, Paul Richardson, Kasen Williams and others on demand. But another part of the process involves competing as hard as he can every day on the practice field and modeling what it takes to succeed with the Seahawks.

"Obviously there's a lot of new faces, a lot of young guys, so we want to be able to pass on that experience and that wisdom that we've had growing up in this program to help us ultimately win more games and hopefully more championships," he said.

Baldwin said he's not distracted by his contract situation as he enters the final year of a three-year, $13 million deal he signed in 2014. In radio interviews this spring, Baldwin said Seattle GM John Schneider assured him an extension offer was coming, but as of last week, Baldwin said no such offer had come.

Still, he's not letting it affect his preparation for the 2016 season.

"I'm just thankful for the opportunities that I have to be out here every day. I'm going to focus on that each day as it comes, and I'm just enjoying the time I have with my teammates," he said. "There's nothing to figure out. I'm playing football each day as it comes by. Again, if I focus on the task at hand, all that other stuff will take care of itself. I don't really have to think about it too much."

The old Baldwin isn't entirely gone, which was made crystal clear when he took exception to the way middle linebacker Bobby Wagner celebrated after breaking up a pass in Thursday's practice.

"Don't act like you made a play!" Baldwin repeatedly yelled at Wagner before punctuating his outburst with some profanity.

So maybe he hasn't entirely outgrown "Angry Doug."

Anyway, "Mostly Serene Doug" just doesn't roll off the tongue.

Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports editor Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.