ESPN has been releasing different polls taken from coaches, scouts, and executives over the last little bit. Their latest deals with wide receivers. There was good news for one current Seattle Seahawks player, and a dose of reality for a former one.
The league likes Jaxon Smith-Njigba quite a lot, as it should. JSN ranked third in the poll, just behind the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase and the Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson. Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua is fourth, and another LA wideout, Davante Adams, is 10th, which seems a bit too high.
But former Seattle receiver (and current player for the Pittsburgh Steelers) DK Metcalf? He didn't make the top ten or even garner an honorable mention. Instead, he was grouped in with others "receiving votes." That is quite the fall for someone who was viewed as a superstar just a year ago.
ESPN poll praises Jaxon Smith-Njigba but doesn't do the same for former Seattle Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf
To be fair, Metcalf wasn't in the top ten in 2025 in the same poll, but at least he was named among the honorable mentions. More importantly, most Seahawks fans will remember how their favorite team was disparaged in expectations before the 2025 season because general manager John Schneider had traded quarterback Geno Smith and wideout Metcalf in the preseason.
How could Seattle possibly succeed without either player? Sam Darnold was seen as a candidate to regress from his form in 2024 with the Vikings. But without Metcalf, head coach Mike Macdonald's team had no one to scare opposing defenses. All the attention would surely go toward Smith-Njigba, who likely wouldn't be very effective.
Instead, JSN led the NFL in receiving yards with 1,793 and was named Offensive Player of the Year. His team also won the Super Bowl with a much-improved culture by not having the volatile Metcalf and Smith.
Metcalf didn't help his new team nearly as much. He was suspended for two games at the end of the season after striking a fan during a game. He could have been (and maybe should have been) banned for longer.
The wideout finished with a career-low 850 receiving yards and the second-lowest 59 catches. He caught six touchdown passes, also the second-lowest mark of his seven-year career. Even with his elite size and speed, Metcalf continues to find a way to underperform.
Not that the Seattle Seahawks and their fans care nearly as much about how much DK Metcalf produces. Ultimately, he was obviously keeping Jaxon Smith-Njigba from reaching his potential. Without Metcalf, JSN exploded. Once again, Schneider made a correct move by moving on from the current Steelers receiver.
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