DK Metcalf Demands Trade: Is Split With Seahawks Inevitable?

Mere moments after announcing Tyler Lockett would be released on Wednesday, as dominos continue to fall, the Seattle Seahawks now face very real prospects of entering the 2025 season without DK Metcalf on the roster as well.

Days after Seahawks general manager John Schneider fielded calls from the Packers and Patriots in regard to a potential trade for Metcalf, as confirmed by multiple sources to the Emerald City Spectrum, the star receiver has now requested a trade in the aftermath of those discussions with the desire to land with a Super Bowl contender. It’s the latest domino in a series of events that have left the relationship between the organization and the wideout on tenuous ground.

Prior to the NFL combine in Indianapolis last week, Schneider had held discussions with Metcalf’s agent as a precursor for a potential contract extension. However, at that stage, the two sides appeared to be far apart in regard to compensation with the former All-Pro wideout pushing for $30 million per year on his next contract. While Seattle wasn’t actively shopping him, the team did discuss a potential trade during the combine, including going as far as sharing compensation packages with Green Bay that would have included either receiver Dontayvion Wicks or Romeo Doubs coming back in return along with a high draft choice.

New England also inquired on Metcalf’s availability, but without any desired young receivers and a top-five pick not on the table, the Patriots couldn’t offer a good enough package to keep Schneider on the phone. Buffalo and Kansas City maintained interest on a peripheral level, monitoring the situation to see if the star wideout became available.

With negotiations not steering in a positive direction and Metcalf becoming aware that calls had been fielded from other teams, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he reached the conclusion that he wanted to play elsewhere, desiring a mega contract with a new team rather than stay in Seattle. Though a deal isn’t imminent and the front office won’t rush into a deal, they have signed off on the receiver reaching out to other teams.

With an iconic receiver Lockett already on the way out, losing Metcalf would be a major blow to the Seahawks’ offense moving forward. Since arriving as a second round pick out of Ole Miss in 2019, few receivers have been more consistently productive, as he joined Randy Moss as only the second receiver in NFL history last season to hit 50 receptions, 900 receiving yards, and five touchdowns in each of his first six seasons.

During that span, while catching passes from Russell Wilson and Geno Smith, Metcalf ranks 16th in the NFL in receptions (438), 12th in receiving yards (6,324), and fifth in touchdowns (48). In four of his six seasons, he has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark, including breaking Steve Largent’s franchise record in 2020.

In the event Seattle moves Metcalf after jettisoning Lockett, receiver will suddenly become a major need with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo being the top two wideouts on the depth chart following his anticipated departure, leaving a void in top-line talent on the outside.

However, while Metcalf has certainly been a top-10 caliber receiver, he has failed to hit 1,000 yards twice in his career and only has surpassed 1,200 yards once. From Seattle’s vantage point, his current contract averaging $24 million per year represents proper value for his production as a great and not necessarily elite receiver, and there has been hesitancy within the front office to paying him top-three or top-five receiver money on a new extension.

With Metcalf attempting to force his way out, though he will be able to seek out other teams to make a deal for him, the Seahawks won’t be required to give in to his demands to join a contender, as he does not have a no trade clause on his contract as Wilson did before orchestrating a trade to the Broncos in 2022. That should help set up a bidding war potentially, opening the door for Schneider to pry a first round pick and more from other teams while opening up $10 million in cap space.

At the same time, since Metcalf remains under contract, Schneider doesn’t have to make a deal if the right trade package isn’t thrown his way. Avoiding a distraction would be ideal, but it’s possible Seattle could keep him and call his bluff in those circumstances, making the next several weeks intriguing to watch to see how this developing story unfolds.