In Light of Recent Trades, It's Getting Harder For Seahawks to Ignore DK Metcalf's Market
Only five receivers in NFL history have accumulated both more yardage and touchdowns through their first three seasons than DK Metcalf. Included on that list are Randy Moss, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jerry Rice.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist or a faceless Twitter account to tell you that Metcalf is, indeed, "built different." At just 24 years old, the former Ole Miss product has shot up to the top of the receiver hierarchy in the NFL and already has Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors to his credit.
Such talents only come so often, and we haven't even mentioned the fact he can fly with 4.3-second speed at the freakish size of 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds. As the tattoo running across his abdomen indicates, Metcalf is truly "one of one."
Thus, entertaining the idea of trading someone of his caliber should be unthinkable in most scenarios. But this year's offseason has diverged from its typical path, seeing multiple superstars and household names change hands, including the man who helped Metcalf get to where he is: quarterback Russell Wilson.
Also on the move are perennial All-Pro receivers Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill—both of whom were unable to finalize a contract extension with their previous teams. Metcalf, entering the final year of his rookie deal, is also in line for an extension this summer; and when he gets it, it's going to be very, very expensive.
In unison with his arrival in Las Vegas, Adams put pen to paper on a fresh five-year, $140 million extension with the Raiders. In similar fashion, Hill signed an extension with the Dolphins for the same amount of money but for four years. Both deals will result in future salary cap hits of $30 million and higher in parts of the next half-decade.
Metcalf is younger than Hill, 28, and Adams, 30, and has gotten off to a better start in his career than both. So while, for now, he's arguably a tier below either player in their current state, his youth and upside alone may earn him a deal that is close to, equal to or perhaps even better than Adams and Hill's.
Some organizations, whether they're justified to feel this way or not, are not going to be comfortable paying such a high price for a skill player, especially with the amount of high-end receiving talent being ushered into the league as of late. The odds of landing a productive wideout in the draft may be higher than any other position right now, and some teams are naturally going to hedge their bets on that.
The Seahawks, however, are not particularly in a situation where money should play a major role in a decision on Metcalf. Partly assisted by Wilson's contract coming off the books, the franchise is currently projected by OverTheCap.com to have $93.3 million in salary cap space in 2023. That's when the money on Metcalf's potential deal would kick in, which, if structured in the same vein as Adams and Hill's, would account for roughly a third of that.
Looking further down the line, Seattle wouldn't have to handcuff itself to Metcalf for four-plus years, nor would he be "untradeable" if he continues his upward trend. Miami and Vegas both have outs in the latter half of Hill and Adams' contracts, respectively, which means neither receiver will likely play through the entirety of their deal. Cutting Adams in 2025 would save the Raiders roughly $68 million in cap space over the final two years of their current agreement, while a separation from Hill in the same year would net the Dolphins around $63 million in savings.
But again: money shouldn't be the determining factor in what the Seahawks opt to do with Metcalf. At most, it's a bonus on top of what should ultimately sway their decision, which is the draft capital an interested team is willing to part with for him.
Adams secured a first- and second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft for the Packers. Hill, meanwhile, got the Chiefs a first, second and fourth in 2022 and a fourth and sixth in 2023. Given that Metcalf is younger, accomplished and still has a considerable amount of projection, it may be reasonable to think the Seahawks could reel in a similar package or something even better. There is a precedent now.
At that point, it would be tough not to at least ponder such offers. That's a whole lot of valuable resources for one player, particularly at a position that's evidently easier to supplement than others. Kansas City and Green Bay, Hill and Adams' former teams, have reportedly inquired about Metcalf's availability and now, as noted, have the resources necessary to pique Seattle's interest.
Naturally, teams are going to come calling on everyone when you trade your star quarterback. But the Seahawks have remained firm that, even in the immediate post-Wilson era, they are not rebuilding, and dealing Metcalf would seemingly contradict that stance. It would be yet another significant step back from their stated aspirations, at least in the short term.
That said, the Seahawks, despite their confidence in quickly turning things around, do not look poised to compete for the postseason or more this year. So what would be better for their future: Metcalf catching passes for a fringe wild-card contender, or a slew of picks that could help them build a roster capable of carrying them back to the top of the mountain?
