Looks like this offseason wasn’t a spur of the moment decision for Metcalf wanting out of Seattle.
We’re pausing our extensive NFL Draft coverage, including mock drafts and player profiles, to share some news from the recent annual league meeting in Florida.
Three weeks ago, the Seattle Seahawks reached an agreement to trade their standout receiver DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers after he made a public request for a trade. According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, this wasn’t Metcalf’s first trade request, which adds a new layer to his position on remaining with the Seahawks.
DK Metcalf’s trade request that prompted the Seahawks to trade him to Pittsburgh last month wasn’t his first plea to leave Seattle. Team sources indicate that the star receiver had asked for trades several times in recent offseasons.
This information provides context for Seattle’s decision to trade Metcalf to the Steelers in exchange for the No. 52 pick and a swap of late-round selections. While the Seahawks didn’t intend to trade him at the beginning of the offseason, they had to consider Metcalf’s ongoing dissatisfaction along with the risks of signing a player to a significant third contract.
Sources close to the trade negotiations revealed that Metcalf preferred to join the Texans or Chargers. However, his contract situation added complexity, requiring the Seahawks to find a trade partner that could offer adequate compensation as well as the ability to negotiate a new deal with Metcalf. The Patriots expressed interest in acquiring him, but he effectively ruled that out by indicating he was unwilling to go to New England, according to a source familiar with the talks. — Brady Henderson
Unless “recent offseasons” refers specifically to the last two seasons, it likely includes the final season(s) under Pete Carroll as well.
Metcalf was selected in the second round by the Seahawks in 2019 and earned All-Pro Second-Team recognition in 2020. He signed a three-year contract extension in the 2022 offseason, shortly after the Russell Wilson trade. There hadn’t been significant indications that DK wanted to leave, and the desire from some fans to trade him has only intensified recently.
Now, we can only speculate about his feelings regarding the trade of his close friend Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll’s departure as head coach, having Geno Smith as his quarterback, and the turnover of three Seahawks offensive coordinators—Shane Waldron was reportedly “free to look for another job” after Pete’s exit—since he joined the league. Additionally, we can ponder his overall sentiments about the Seahawks, especially given the team’s lack of playoff victories since their Divisional Round appearance in his rookie year.
We’ll get another chance to see Metcalf when the Seahawks face the Steelers in Pittsburgh during the regular season.
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