The Seahawks are playing a dangerous game with DK Metcalf

The Seattle Seahawks are playing a dangerous game with star wide receiver DK Metcalf. The longer they wait to extend him, the harder it’s going to be to get a deal done.

The wide receiver market is exploding. The position has essentially moved from a supporting role to a marquee position overnight. The team-friendly contracts of old are no more. Receivers are officially getting paid like left tackles and pass rushers.

The problem is, the Seahawks are playing their typical game with extensions. They play hardball throughout the process. Historically, they wait until after the draft to talk extensions with any players. It is a summer process.

The Seahawks playing the waiting game on a DK Metcalf extension carries significant risk.

However, the market is exploding while they play to their typical off-season tune. What makes it worse, there are a number of star-wide receivers in the bullpen waiting to go to bat. Terry McLauren, A.J. Brown, Deebo Samuel, Diontae Johnson, Hunter Renfrow, and Marquise Brown are all in the queue.

Yesterday, I posted an article on what I thought a Metcalf extension could look like. With every new Stefon Diggs-like contract coming out, the price is only going to climb. It is possible the price jumps to a point that the team pulls a Frank Clark and ships the ascending player elsewhere to get paid.

There are two thoughts about why this process is going so slow, with seemingly all doors open:

• DK Metcalf himself is not negotiating until the market settles. He sees an opportunity to be the last one to bat and hit a grand slam. An opportunity to really capitalize on this market shift.
• The Seahawks think a desperate team (like the Jets) could come out with a desperate offer to try and pry Metcalf from Seattle. Think multiple day one and two picks.

I don’t believe the Seahawks want to trade him. However, they are also a team that prides itself on being “in” on every deal. It is possible they simply want to see what comes to them before committing the bag.

Only time will tell how this settles. The draft is at the end of this month. The last thing that this organization need is another contract hold-out/drama-filled off-season. I just hope a resolution is either achieved during or right after the draft.