Seahawks WR DK Metcalf Should Be Foundational Piece For Future, Not Trade Bait
Only two weeks into free agency, this offseason has been a transformative one for the Seahawks. Ushering in a new era after the best decade in franchise history, the team dealt quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos for a king's ransom of draft picks and handed walking papers to linebacker Bobby Wagner to create cap space.
On the heels of those seismic moves discarding the final two remaining players from their most recent Super Bowl squad, other teams have been connecting with general manager John Schneider hoping Seattle was conducting a fire sale and open for business to deal other star players. Among those, multiple reports recently emerged indicating teams have inquired about the availability of receiver DK Metcalf.
Metcalf, 24, will be entering the final year of his rookie contract and looks poised to break the bank as one of the league's highest-paid players at the position. Recent contracts handed out to Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill, who each signed extensions as part of separate trades to the Raiders and Dolphins respectively worth more than $25 million per year, have ramped up speculation the Seahawks could move him due to the soaring cost and potential to acquire multiple high draft picks in exchange.
Earlier this week, in an interview on Sports Radio KJR 950, coach Pete Carroll told host Dave Mahler retaining Metcalf remains a top priority for the organization.
"It's really important to us," Carroll said. "We love him. He maybe will go down as one of the great draft picks we've ever had here... We are going to do everything we can to get it done."
As for Schneider, in a separate interview with ESPN 710 on Thursday, he expectedly refused to talk specifics on potential contract negotiations with Metcalf. He did, however, admit there was a "sense of shock" seeing the new sticker price set by the extensions signed by big-name receivers such as Adams and Hill this offseason.
With that said, Schneider understands how special of a talent Metcalf is, how much his presence impacts the way opponents defend Seattle, and how much he means to everyone within the organization.
“Everybody loves DK. He’s a great player,” Schneider said. “People have to game plan for him and he influences every single game that he’s a part of, whether it’s people shifting coverages his way or him just running straight through the coverage or having guys play man [coverage] where he’s just tossing people off him, right? He influences games, there’s no question about it. And we love him. Everybody in the building loves him.”
While the NFL seems to have an abundance of quality receivers entering the league each year in large part due to the proliferation of 7-on-7 tournaments, players with Metcalf's combination of athleticism, size, and ball skills remain unicorns among the best athletes in the world. At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds at the 2019 combine and has since competed in an Olympic qualifying event last year for the 100 meter dash. Such physical specimens don't grow on trees.
On top of his unique physical gifts, Metcalf has been one of the most productive receivers in NFL history to start his career. Joining the likes of Hall of Famers Randy Moss and Jerry Rice in exclusive company, he's one of only seven players to eclipse 3,100 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns in his first three seasons. Going a step further, when accounting for his reception totals, he's one of only four receivers all-time with 3,100 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 215 receptions in his first three seasons.
Metcalf also has already kickstarted his assault on Seattle's franchise record books as well, breaking Steve Largent's single-season receiving yardage record in 2020. In addition, he ranks first in receptions, first in receiving yards, and second in touchdowns by a receiver in team history through three seasons.
As pointed out by my colleague Ty Gonzalez, after seeing the Packers fetch first and second-round picks from the Raiders for Adams and the Chiefs get five picks for Hill, if the Seahawks receive a similar offer for Metcalf, they would be wise to consider the possibility. If they were able to get multiple early-round picks and hit on them, they could accelerate their rebuild efforts to climb back into contention.
The problem? Draft picks in essence are lottery tickets and Seattle hasn't necessarily been cashing in on those picks in recent seasons. While Carroll has said they are back in their "wheelhouse" with several high draft picks courtesy of the Wilson trade, the front office has to hit on the majority of those picks after jettisoning the best quarterback in franchise history. And that's not guaranteed.
The same could be said trading away Metcalf, a player who already been named to an All-Pro team who remains a young, ascending talent with freakish athletic traits and a top-notch work ethic. Sure, they could land a franchise left tackle, a starting cornerback, and an edge rusher with three picks netted from dealing him. They could also use one of those picks to find a capable replacement for far cheaper. The allure of all that draft capital would undoubtedly be intriguing to the organization.
But what if those picks don't pan out? The Seahawks would be left with holes littered throughout an already-depleted roster and would be without a game-changing receiver. That would be a nightmare scenario for a franchise holding onto hope they can avoid a full-scale rebuild and contend quickly again.
Even if Seattle has to invest $25 million or more per year to keep him, there's too much risk trading him and such a move would be personnel malpractice by Schneider and Carroll. If they thought fans were upset about Wilson or Wagner's departure, imagine the uproar if they turned around and dealt a popular player like Metcalf.
Based on what the player has said publicly, Metcalf wants to be in the Pacific Northwest for the foreseeable future. He's ready to take the torch as one of the team's new leaders with Wilson and Wagner leaving town and he genuinely seems excited to work with new quarterback Drew Lock. The Seahawks won't have Wilson's massive contract on the books next season and thanks to a new television deal, the salary cap will continue to grow exponentially in coming years, so lack of money can't be used as an excuse either.
Ultimately, if Carroll and Schneider want to sell the idea the Seahawks aren't in the midst of a full-scale rebuild and plan to compete next year to the fan base, extending Metcalf would be a smart first move to make. Trading him would send a far different message and create even more distrust in the front office. Pay him now before his cost goes up even more and lock up a key foundational piece for the team's present and future. That should be the only option under consideration.
