Doug Baldwin doesn’t sign free agent tender before deadline

Doug Baldwin had until Friday to sign his restricted free agent tender with Seattle, but the deadline has now passed, and according to Ian Rapoport Baldwin did not sign.

What does this mean for Baldwin and the Seahawks? First and foremost, it guarantees that Baldwin will be back in Seattle in 2014.

Beyond that, Baldwin’s future remains, in Ian Rapoport’s words, unclear.

By not signing the tender, Baldwin forfeit his right to negotiate with other teams. If he doesn’t hash out a new deal with Seattle, he will return for next season for the second-round tender number, $2.187 million.

The expectation is that Baldwin eventually will sign a long-term deal with Seattle, but that the Seahawks have other deals to hash out before they get to Baldwin, including a new contract for Richard Sherman.

And maybe while they’re at it they’d like to work out something with Russell Wilson, who right now is just the third highest-paid quarterback on the team?

Keeping Baldwin would help Wilson too, especially after Golden Tate’s defection. The Seahawks did bring back Sidney Rice but goodness knows what you’ll even get from the oft-injured receiver.

Oh and they have Percy Harvin, but again, who knows with Percy. He could lose his mind and throw a weight at Pete Carroll. You just can’t rely on him, mentally or physically.