3 key observations from DK Metcalf’s performance in Week 3

DK Metcalf is special but not Tyler Lockett special

It would be interesting to see what would happen if Tyler Lockett had to miss several games in this 2022 offense. I certainly don’t want him to. If the Seahawks need a ball to be caught at an important time and I was the quarterback, I would definitely be looking towards Lockett and not Metcalf. That’s no slight to Metcalf; Lockett is just that great.

Lockett is a possession receiver in the greatest sense of the word. He can run out patterns that most defensive backs can’t keep up with. It’s actually a shame when Seattle goes away from that because if you need a first down when it’s 2nd and 5 or 3rd and short, Lockett is probably going to be open. Lockett runs crisper routes than most mortals ever have and better than Metcalf.

Metcalf is a large human being and if he ran the same routes that Lockett did, he would have 150 catches in a season. He may not have 1,500 yards in a year but he would help pick up critical first downs. But there is a reason Metcalf isn’t asked to do the same things Lockett does and that is because both receivers are very good at what they do.

Metcalf needs to be the downfield threat and Lockett needs to be the guy who picks up first downs and does the occasional downfield threat. But Lockett is more consistently versatile than Metcalf. Does that make him the better receiver? Maybe. It certainly makes him more useable in this current version of the offense. We will see what a different quarterback, and possibly a different offensive coordinator, brings in 2024.