The Seattle Seahawks have a chance to remake their roster. With a new head coach in 2024, the team is clearly one in transition. There is enough talent on the roster, however, and if Seattle does not make the playoffs next year they should the year after and be a dangerous team in 2025 as well.
Part of that process is making tough roster decisions. The team could release safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, among others, and create cap room, but that is only good for signing free agents. Seattle needs to add draft picks as well. The team has the number 16 pick overall in the 2024 NFL draft but then not another until the third round.
I do not want the Seahawks to trade DK Metcalf. He is an effervescent and talented player. But partly because of that, and the fact he is only 26 years old, he is probably the best trade piece Seattle has in terms of bringing back high draft picks. If Seattle does trade Metcalf, here are four options.
Potential Seattle Seahawks and DK Metcalf trade destination No. 1 - New England Patriots
Projected 2024 cap space (top 51): $69,866,052
Projected 2025 cap space: $257,317,465
Highest 2024 NFL draft picks: First round, pick 3; second round, pick 34 overall
The Patriots can basically do anything they want this offseason. They were awful in 2023 which actually helps them be better - and fairly quickly - in the future. Not only are the Patriots awash in cap room, but they have high draft capital as well. Maybe Pats Nation wants the team to get a quarterback high in the 2024 draft, but that quarterback would also have no options to work with. Heck, give Bailey Zappe a receiver or two to throw to and maybe he looks fine.
As much as the Patriots need a quarterback, they need a great receiver. Metcalf might love to play for Seattle, but his numbers would increase in New England because he would indisputably be the number one target for any Patriots quarterback. New England can easily afford him as well. But what is in the deal for the Seahawks?
For one, Seattle should be able to get the Patriots high first-round choice. That means the Seahawks would have two top-16 NFL draft picks and if they wanted to take their future quarterback and also help remake the defense they could (assuming the picks work out). Secondly, and much less importantly, removing Metcalf means more targets for Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2024.
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Potential DK Metcalf trade destination No. 2 - Indianapolis Colts
Projected 2024 cap space (top 51): $66,350,395
Project 2025 cap space: $209,101,463
Highest 2024 NFL draft picks: First round, pick 15; second round, pick 47 overall
The Colts are in good shape for the future. They chose their quarterback of the future in the 2023 NFL draft, Anthony Richardson, and while he got injured early in the season he looked to be a very good pick. Richardson just needs more weapons around him. Indianapolis might be able to re-sign free agent receiver Michael Pittman but Pittman is no DK Metcalf. Plus, imagine giving Richardson Pittman and Metcalf. That is potentially the kind of offense to rule the AFC South for years.
Because Richardson is on a rookie deal, the Colts have cap flexibility for several more seasons. Adding Metcalf's contract, which won't be an issue until 2025, would be easy. This is especially true as Indy's cap space opens up an incredible amount next offseason. In fact, the Colts not trying to trade for Metcalf seems dumb.
Metcalf should be happy with the Colts as well as he will have a young quarterback to play with plus he will be playing in no weather-related home games. The Colts play in a dome. Metcalf wants to be great and a young Colts offense might help with that.
The Seahawks would need to ask for the Colts' 2024 first-round choice and their second-round pick as well. This would give Seattle three picks in their first 47 selections and while losing Metcalf would hurt, giving first-year head coach Mike Macdonald more young talent he would take ownership of molding would not be a bad thing.
Potential DK Metcalf trade destination No. 3 - Kansas City Chiefs
Projected 2024 cap space (top 51): $22,631,625
Projected 2025 cap space: $118,136,090
Highest 2024 NFL draft picks: First round, pick 32, second round, pick 64 overall
The already ultra-rich getting even richer? Why not? Especially when Patrick Mahomes is under contract for the next century and the Chiefs will need better receivers than they had this year and will have to replace tight end Travis Kelce's production sooner than later. And Chiefs fans can drool (and likely Metcalf can as well) over the potential he would have to play with a quarterback like Mahomes and a coach such as Andy Reid.
There would be no discussion of how to get the most out of Metcalf's talents. Reid would find a way. Mahomes would also make sure any plan is implemented and executed to perfection. The best season Metcalf has had so far is 1,303 receiving yards in 2020. His most receiving touchdowns were 12 in 2021. These numbers would likely be the baseline of normal for Metcalf in KC.
But what we care about is what the Seahawks would get out of dealing Metcalf to KC. Seattle would definitely need to get the Chiefs' first-round pick in the 2024 draft. Getting KC's second-round selection would be great as well, but it's the last pick of the round. Maybe Seattle could get the Chiefs first-round picks in both 2024 and 2025.
Potential DK Metcalf trade destination No. 4 - Tennessee Titans
Projected 2024 cap space (top 51): $73,905,424
Projected 2025 cap space: $201,021,122
Highest 2024 NFL draft picks: First round, pick 7; second round, pick 38
The Titans, like the Colts, will also have a quarterback on a rookie contract moving forward. Will Levis showed enough in 2023 to at least be allowed to be QB1 in Week 1 of 2024? The hope is that he becomes a long-term start for the next three years. Levis will be a free agent after his fourth year as he was not taken until the second round (though he clearly would be franchise-tagged if he does well).
What Tennessee does not have is any young, good wide receivers. Plus, the Titans will have a new head coach who likes to throw more than former head coach Mike Vrabel did. Brian Callahan takes over for Vrabel and Callahan was the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals for the last five years. He has worked with great receivers such as Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase so he will know how to incorporate Metcalf into the offense.
Higgins is also a free agent so if Tennessee traded for Metcalf and signed Higgins (they have the money to do both and Higgins is from east Tennessee) then Levis would have an offense worthy of competing for the AFC South crown next year and in seasons beyond. Plus, Metcalf would be a little closer to home as he is from Oxford, MS which is only a four-hour drive.
The Seahawks would get Tennessee's first-round choice in 2024 and should ask for the second-round pick as well. Giving up Metcalf would not be easy, of course, but would a move help the Seahawks improve in 2024 and beyond? Very likely, as long as the correct move is made.