NFL execs ranking Devon Witherspoon highly should fill DK Metcalf with rage

Devon Witherspoon is a great player. There is no doubt. He was fantastic in his rookie season and he made the Pro Bowl as much for what he did on the field as for the immense potential he offered for the future. He had one interception and three sacks. Solid, but for a veteran those statistics would not necessarily be great.

12s know better. Witherspoon flashed so much ability that heading into his second season what seemed clear was that he would be one of the best players on the team. Not just in 2024 but well beyond.

The hope is that DK Metcalf will be too, of course. He has had a pretty productive career so far and he is only 26 years old. The receiver is signed through 2025, but he should be extended for many seasons beyond. He is a foundational piece.

Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon gets respect but DK Metcalf does not

The shame is that while most Seattle Seahawks fans appreciate Witherspoon and Metcalf it appears that many NFL executives do not. At least, not to the same degree. Newness is always rewarded in rankings and what people remember. The cornerback is younger and fresher. Metcalf is great for 12s, but stale to the national football-watching public.

ESPN recently asked a bunch of NFL execs who they thought the best receivers in the league were and Metcalf didn't make the top 10. The same question was asked about cornerbacks and Witherspoon made number nine. The corner was the only Seattle player to make the top 10 of any group. Witherspoon is worthy. Metcalf is too, but he was left out.

Metcalf was fifth in the league in yards per reception last year at 16.9. He was eighth in touchdown catches with eight. In 2021, he was fourth with 12. He's been good for a while and he will continue to be so.

The receiver also clearly has a burning fuse that causes him to be emotional on the field. He takes things personally. He should take the disrespect from NFL execs personally as well. He is one of the better receivers in the league, though they don't seem him that way. He can make teams pay this year.

The hope is that new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's system is perfectly made for DK Metcalf. Grubb likes to throw long and develops routes to help wideouts such as Metcalf get open deep. Metcalf could get 15 touchdown passes and 1,400 yards this season. Maybe NFL executives will remember him better then.

More Seahawks news and analysis: