Can DK Metcalf Surpass Tyler Lockett as Seahawks Top Wideout in 2020?
The Seahawks are blessed with two fantastic receivers for their star quarterback to throw to. The Russell Wilson-to-Tyler Lockett connection has been the best in-game tandem based on passer rating for two consecutive seasons. This combination has led to many incredible catches and touchdowns and yet somehow remains an underrated combination amongst the casual NFL fans.
But after DK Metcalf burst onto the scene in 2019, there might be a new sheriff in town. Or, at the very least, an up-and-coming deputy.
Metcalf's rookie season was nothing short of sensational, as he played in all 16 games and caught 58 passes for 900 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Not bad for a late second-round pick who some analysts believed would struggle to get open thanks to some terrible agility testing numbers at the combine.
There were definitely growing pains along the way and Metcalf wasn't brilliant from start to finish. But the trust between Wilson and his newest weapon didn't take long to materialize. We saw the first inkling of this as early as Week 1 of the season. The circle of trust may have been completed when Metcalf, not Lockett, was the primary read on the road in the playoff victory against the Eagles.
On a 3rd and long with a chance to ice the game, Wilson heaved a deep shot to the Metcalf, who leaped high over the defender to pluck the arching pass out of the air and secure a win for Seattle. During that outstanding performance, he set a rookie record for most receiving yards in a playoff game and it served as a bit of an announcement to the potential destructive power of the Wilson to Metcalf combination.
That play was emblematic of all that Metcalf has to offer. He has the size, speed, strength, hands, vertical, and football IQ to be an elite wide receiver. His ceiling is just undoubtedly higher than Lockett's, which is an impressive attribute to attach to any young receiver.
But Wilson to Lockett remained the lead dog for most of the 2019 season, at least the first half. In fact, in his first nine games of 2019, Lockett snagged 59 catches on 72 targets for 767 yards and six touchdowns. But unfortunately, he suffered a serious leg injury that kept him hospitalized for days and appeared to hamper him for most of the remainder of the season. In his final seven games, Lockett would catch just 23 passes on 38 targets for 290 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
After Lockett's injury, Metcalf would catch six or more passes five times, including in the playoffs. But prior to Lockett's injury, he reached that threshold just once. Metcalf's target share didn't actually go up much after Lockett's injury as you might think. In fact, it went down. But the catch percentage jumped from 53 percent to 63 percent and his route tree continued to grow, albeit incrementally.
With one year of success under his belt and positive growth in the second half of 2019, Metcalf may be ready to jump over Lockett on the depth chart, but it will be a difficult task. To do it, Metcalf will need to improve his catch percentage and take better care of the football. But why does catch percentage matter?
In 2019, Lockett received 110 targets from Wilson but hauled in 74.5 percent of those passes for a nice 82 catch season. Meanwhile, Metcalf got 100 targets but hauled in just 58 of them. Now, not all targets are created equal. The degree of difficulty varies greatly.
But for Metcalf to surpass Lockett as the true No. 1 wideout, he'll need to be more efficient with his opportunities. And if he can do that, Metcalf won't be the Robin to Lockett's Batman. They'll stand as equals and the Seahawks offense may well become unstoppable as a result.
