Last we heard of Doug Baldwin, the Seattle Seahawks wide receiver was facing a two-month recovery from sports hernia surgery.
On Friday night, the team made it sound like Baldwin might not come back.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider told reporters on Friday night that the 30-year-old receiver is considering retirement.
"We know Doug's going to have a hard time," Schneider said, per The News Tribune. "There's a process we need to go through with the [league office and NFLPA]."
"He has been an extraordinary part of this program since we've been here. He has given us everything that he has had. A great competitor, player and all that," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll added. "We believe in him so much and trust in him so much that wherever this goes, we're going to support him throughout."
Baldwin has undergone multiple surgeries this offseason -- knee, shoulder and most recently, sport hernia -- and the receiver is coming off a 2018 season that saw his production decrease to 50 catches, 618 yards and five touchdowns.
Either by coincidence or by circumstance, Seattle picked a wide receiver in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft on Friday -- D.K. Metcalf from Ole Miss, who fell to them at No. 64. Schneider said that Metcalf's selection had nothing to do with Baldwin's situation and that neither piece of news will stop Seattle from potentially adding more pass-catcher in Rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday.
"There's still several doggone good receivers on the board," Schneider said, "so we're going to work our way through that."
If Baldwin is indeed done, then newly minted quarterback Russell Wilson will be left to toss parabolas to Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, David Moore and Jaron Brown and tight ends Nick Vannett, Will Dissly and Ed Dickson.
It will be hard for any receiver, rookie or veteran, to replace the leadership and consistency that Baldwin has displayed on and off the field in Seattle for the last eight years. But the league, like time, churns on, and the Seahawks will have to try.
