DK Metcalf, Seahawks Agree to Multi-Year Contract Extension
After weeks of contract negotiations behind the scenes, star receiver DK Metcalf and the Seahawks officially have a deal.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Metcalf and Seattle have agreed on a three-year extension worth $72 million, tying him to the organization through the 2025 season. Earning $24 million annually in new money, he becomes the sixth-highest paid player at his position behind former Ole Miss teammate and current Eagles star A.J. Brown.
Under terms of the extension, Metcalf reportedly will receive $58.2 million in guarantees - the seventh-highest total among receivers - and a $30 million signing bonus, a record for receivers. Over the course of the contract, his cap hits will increase from $13.7 million in 2023 to $24.5 million in 2024 and $29.5 million in 2025.
Metcalf, 24, established himself as one of the NFL's premier wideouts during his first three seasons after being selected by the Seahawks with the 64th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Becoming an immediate force catching passes from Russell Wilson, he caught 58 passes for 900 yards and seven touchdowns while starting all 16 games as a rookie. He then set a rookie single-game record with 160 receiving yards in a wild card victory over the Eagles in Philadelphia.
Emerging as a Second-Team All-Pro the ensuing season while starring across from Tyler Lockett, Metcalf broke Hall of Famer Steve Largent's franchise record with 1,303 receiving yards and scored 10 touchdowns to help Seattle finish 12-4 to capture an NFC West title in 2020. Last season, even while nursing a foot injury that required surgery, he started all 17 games and surpassed his previous career-high with 12 touchdowns.
In totality, Metcalf became only the fifth receiver in NFL history to catch 200 or more passes, produce 3,100 or more receiving yards, and score at least 29 touchdowns in his first three seasons, joining an exclusive group headlined by Hall of Famers Randy Moss and Jerry Rice.
Despite his incredible numbers, however, Metcalf became a subject of trade rumors after the Seahawks dealt Wilson to the Broncos in March. Other teams reportedly reached out to general manager John Schneider about his availability, only to be turned away.
Initially, Metcalf reported for the start of Seattle's offseason program in April, though he was a limited participant as he worked back from surgery. Then in June, he opted not to attend mandatory minicamp and stayed in Southern California, making a statement as he pursued a new contract. Few details on negotiations became known over the past several weeks and while he reported for training camp on time, he didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday.
But all along, the Seahawks expected a deal to get done and as Schneider and the front office have done often over the years, they managed to etch out an agreement during the early stages of training camp. Now, with Metcalf passing his physical according to coach Pete Carroll, he should be able to return to practice and catching passes from prospective starting quarterbacks Geno Smith and Drew Lock.
Assuming Metcalf continues to climb the ranks as one of the league's most feared receivers, with his extension only being three years on top of the final year of his rookie deal, he will be slated to hit free agency at 28 years of age in March 2026. This will allow him another opportunity to cash in with a mega deal that may exceed $30 million per year with the salary cap rising substantially in coming seasons.
