Extensive receiver DK Metcalf’s commerce request this offseason got here as a shock to most people. A brand new report means that to the Seattle Seahawks, it was nothing new.
Metcalf had requested trades from the Seahawks “a number of instances” in earlier offseasons, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN. These requests by no means grew to become public, and the group navigated them internally.
The report states that the Seahawks had not meant to commerce Metcalf firstly of the offseason. Nonetheless, the general public commerce request and Metcalf’s want for a brand new contract pressured their hand.
This gives some context for why the Seahawks traded Metcalf as rapidly as they did. First, he had been coming into the ultimate 12 months of a rookie contract extension. The Seahawks probably weren’t optimistic about signing him to a brand new deal when the large receiver had signaled on a number of events that he wished out.
As well as, Metcalf wanted a trade to a contender regardless of Seattle going 10-7 in 2024, however that concern most likely existed lengthy earlier than the earlier season even began.
Finally, Metcalf was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the place he signed a five-year, $150 million contract extension. The Seahawks landed the 52nd general decide on this 12 months’s draft as a part of the commerce.
The Steelers shall be counting on Metcalf to provide their offense a much-needed downfield menace. The 27-year-old large receiver has three 1,000-yard seasons to his title with Seattle, and has 48 profession landing receptions in 97 video games.