The rage might be great. How can anyone suggest that DK Metcalf be traded by the Seattle Seahawks? Other team sites can do that, sure, such as writers who cover the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have written an untold number of articles about Metcalf going to Pittsburgh.
Metcalf is the best wide receiver Seattle has and is signed through 2025. 12s can have their favorite receivers. Many love Jaxon Smith-Njigba and likely even more like Tyler Lockett, and for good reason. Both are seemingly good people who are good at their jobs.
But Metcalf is the alpha in the Seattle wide receiver room as proven by him leading the team in receiving yards in 2023 (by 220 yards), receiving touchdowns (by three), and yards per catch (5.6 yards per reception over any other wide receiver).
Five potential trade partners for the Seattle Seahawks for DK Metcalf in 2025
Next offseason, however, Seattle has an issue. The team is negative-$20,483,753 in effective cap space, according to Over the Cap, and that means changes have to be made. Possibly Lockett retires or is released. That would save the team $17 million. Potentially, Geno Smith is released which saves Seattle $25 million. Or the team might dangle Metcalf as a trade piece.
As opposed to nearly any other veteran on the team not still on their rookie contract, DK Metcalf has trade value. Smith won't bring back a first-round choice. Lockett might bring back a fourth-rounder. Uchenna Nwosu, Leonard Williams, and Dre'Mont Jones are expensive and also would not give the Seahawks a high-round draft pick in return for trading them.
Should Seattle trade Metcalf, the team would lose an excellent receiver, but also save $22 million in 2025. That number by itself puts Seattle back in plus territory in cap room. Moreover, Seattle should be able to get a first-round choice back for him. Here are five teams who might want to make a move for the receiver.
Pittsburgh Steelers might want some help for Russell Wilson
Let's throw out Metcalf catching passes from Wilson at a recent workout. NFL players get together with players from other teams all the time in the offseason. The one bit that might have made the Wilson-to-Metcalf connection a bit odd was that they were rumored to not get along very well after Wilson left Seattle two years ago. This is seemingly not the case, though.
Wilson is only on a one-year contract with Pittsburgh but if he proves to be efficient, the Steelers could keep him around for a couple of more seasons. He already - obviously - has a rapport with Metcalf and adding the receiver would greatly augment Pittsburgh's offensive potential. Pittsburgh is so close to being dangerous that getting a player the caliber of Metcalf would probably get them into the playoffs.
Even after paying Wilson (assuming he sticks on the team past 2024), the Steelers should have more than enough cap room for Metcalf. Currently, Pittsburgh has the third-most cap space in the league next offseason at $77,229,216. The Steelers could send Seattle their first-round selection in 2025 and then a second-or-third-round pick in 2026.
Baltimore Ravens need long-term help for Lamar Jackson
Baltimore heads into 2024 with Zay Flowers and then a bunch of hopes at receiver. Flowers might be a Pro Bowler in his second season, but having one good receiver is not good enough in the NFL. Teams will begin to rotate to Flowers and that will diminish his efficiency. If Baltimore finds themselves having to throw to win late in the season, that could cripple their Super Bowl aspirations.
Flowers and Jackson are going to be around for a while. The Ravens signed Derrick Henry this offseason and he could be terrific in 2024 but he is also old. By 2025, Baltimore is going to need another offensive weapon. Pairing Metcalf with Flowers might be enough for Baltimore to get the championship they have been knocking on the proverbial door to for a few seasons.
The Ravens aren't in a great cap position in 2025, but they have several players whose contracts they could rework or release and make quite a bit of cap room. As with Pittsburgh, the Seahawks could get a first-round choice back in 2025. New head coach Mike Macdonald might also know of a player from his former team that he hopes to acquire to make his defense better next year.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen cannot win by himself
The Bills have as much cap room in 2025 as do the Ravens. Also, like Baltimore, Buffalo could release a few players, such as Von Miller, and the team would immediately create $8 million with Miller alone. In other words, the Bills could easily make enough room to fit Metcalf's contract in. Plus, the acquisition of Metcalf has to give Josh Allen some relief as he has to be wondering what the direction of the team is after Buffalo traded Stefon Diggs this offseason.
Metcalf likely would not mind the move to Buffalo either as he would be without question Allen's main target and the receiver's numbers might grow to 1,400 receiving yards in a season and 15 touchdowns. With the Seahawks, Metcalf is part of a trio with Lockett and Smith-Njigba and that cuts into his potential maximum production.
Jim Harbaugh could use DK Metcalf with the Los Angeles Chargers
DK Metcalf to Los Angeles makes sense. He has the personality for the city and would be a dream player for the Chargers to help sell the team to fans. Los Angeles already seemingly has a good long-term quarterback in Justin Herbert but they need to get him some help. The team also heavily invested in bringing Jim Harbaugh to Los Angeles to coach the team and he needs someone like Metcalf, too.
LA is hoping 2023 first-round draft choice Quentin Johnson is not a bust, but he certainly was not good in his rookie season. He has the same kind of frame as Metcalf so acquiring the Seahawks receiver might mean he helps Johnson find his way as well. If that happens, the Chargers have two huge receivers with speed which would be a nightmare for any team they play.
As opposed to this offseason, the Chargers have cap room in 2025. Currently, they are projected to have $42,926,221. Maybe LA wants to rebuild so quickly that they give Seattle a first-round pick in 2025 and another first-round selection in 2026.
Carolina Panthers need Metcalf to help Bryce Young
Metcalf to the Panthers makes sense for several reasons. One is that the team has to make Young into a good quarterback but Carolina's receiving group is fairly suspect in 2024. Metcalf immediately becomes the alpha and gives Young a break-glass option in case of emergency. As bad as the Panthers offensive line is still likely to be in 2024, Young will still be seeing a lot of emergency situations in 2025.
Metcalf will also have a natural rapport with Carolina's new head coach, Dave Canales. Canales was the Seahawks' passing game coordinator as recently as 2022 and was with the team beginning in 2010. The receiver will have worked with the coach every season of his career except for the last two by 2025.
Carolina might want to jumpstart their rebuild as well. Possibly Seattle will get Carolina's first- and second-round selections in the 2025 draft. Or at least a first-rounder next year and a second-rounder in 2026. If Metcalf is going to make Young better, paying a high price is worth it for Carolina.