Analyst: Seahawks Should Consider DK Metcalf Trade

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf may have played his final game with the franchise.
Metcalf, who turned 27 last month, finished his season with 66 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns, all of which are respectable numbers, but he officially was demoted to WR2 after second-year pro Jaxon Smith-Njigba enjoyed a breakout season.
With Metcalf having just one more season under contract, Bleacher Report writer Alex Kay thinks the Seahawks receiver could be on his way out of Seattle.
"Metcalf is still one of Seattle's best players, but he's regressed over the last few seasons from being one of the league's brightest young stars to an inconsistent pass-catcher who seems to lack rapport with quarterback Geno Smith. After hauling in 83 catches for a career-high 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2020, he's taken a noticeable step back," Kay writes.
"After earning a Pro Bowl nod for a respectable 66-catch, 1,114-yard, eight-touchdown campaign in 2023, Metcalf failed to eclipse the 1,000-yard receiving mark while recording a career-low five touchdowns this past season. The 6'4", 235-pound wideout is known for his elite athleticism and physicality, but Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus noted that he's only had a 33.3 percent success rate on contested catches over the last two years."
Metcalf's value goes beyond the box score, and as one of Seattle's longest-tenured players, he is an important part of the culture and locker room that the team has built.
However, with a changing of the guard that began last year with Mike Macdonald becoming the new head coach, it may be time for the Seahawks to implement some serious changes.
That doesn't necessarily mean trading Metcalf, but it may mean listening to offers for him this offseason.
"With Metcalf going into the final season of the three-year, $72 million extension he signed in 2022, it would make sense to deal him now while his value is still high. While Seattle could run it back with him and receive a compensatory draft selection if he signs elsewhere in 2026, it already has a viable replacement in Jaxon Smith-Njigba who's ready to assume No. 1 wideout duties," Kay writes.
"If the Seahawks receive a strong offer for Metcalf, they could add draft picks and gain cap space to bolster a roster that clearly needs a jolt on the heels of two consecutive missed playoff berths."
It would take a massive offer for the Seahawks to consider trading Metcalf, but the front office would be doing the franchise a disservice if they didn't at least do their homework.
If the Seahawks don't like what's out there, maybe it would be wise to talk about an extension with Metcalf to ensure that he doesn't walk away in free agency for nothing.
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