Though Seattle Seahawks ultimately missed the playoffs in year one under coach Mike Macdonald, the team still received quality contributions from a star-studded receiving corps, including a breakout sophomore season for Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
How did Smith-Njigba enjoy a sophomore leap snagging passes from Geno Smith? And did DK Metcalf among other Seattle wideouts underperform compared to lofty expectations?
Revisiting the 2024 campaign with statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus, here's a look at what went right, what went wrong, and a final grade for Seahawks receivers:
What Went Right
Standing out as the primary benefactor of Ryan Grubb's air-centric offensive scheme after a decent, yet unspectacular rookie year, Smith-Njigba lit up opponents working inside, leading all NFL receivers with 83 receptions and 993 receiving yards from the slot. Narrowly missing out on finishing in the top 10 in receiving yards and tying a franchise record with 100 receptions for the season, he ranked 10th in yards after the catch (482), 12th in first down conversions (56), and 19th in missed tackles forced (12) among all wideouts.
Despite dealing with a balky knee for most of the second half of the season, DK Metcalf remained one of the NFL's best big play weapons, finishing seventh among qualified receivers averaging 15 yards per reception and tied for third with five receiving touchdowns on passes traveling 20 or more yards through the air. Only Pittsburgh's George Pickens caught more deep balls than his 16, and in addition, he ranked second with six contested catches on such passes, using his size to win jump balls against smaller cornerbacks.
While seeing a significant reduction in targets as a clear third wheel in Seattle's passing arsenal, Lockett remained efficient with his opportunities. Catching 49 out of 70 targets, he turned 36 of those receptions into first downs, including 14 of those receptions on third down. Jake Bobo also did what he could with limited chances as a receiver, catching 13 out of 17 targets for 107 yards while also adding six tackles on special teams.
What Went Wrong
Though Metcalf made history as only the second receiver ever to produce at least 50 catches, 900 receiving yards, and five touchdowns in each of his first six NFL seasons, his final numbers were a bit disappointing considering a fast start in the first seven games. Before spraining his knee in a win over the Falcons, he ranked eight in receiving yards and 14th in yards per reception, well on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards for the fourth time in his career.
Unfortunately, while Metcalf did catch two touchdowns in Seattle's final three games, he only produced 424 receiving yards on 31 receptions in his last eight games, ranking outside the top 40 in both categories in the second half. He also recorded just 16 first down-converting catches in that span, which ranked 55th out of 94 qualified receivers, leading to him falling short of the century mark, and had two costly fumbles early in the year in losses to Detroit and the New York Giants.
Continuing to show significant signs of decline in his 10th season with the Seahawks, Lockett lacked the explosiveness that once made him one of the NFL's most feared deep threats. Only two years after catching seven touchdowns for 20-plus yards in 2022, the veteran wideout only had seven total catches netting such yardage with just a single touchdown. Overall, he scored two touchdowns, the second-lowest total in a season in his career.
Final Grade: B-
Going into the season, even with Lockett coming off a down year by his standards, most experts believed the Seahawks would have a top-five receiving corps once again with Metcalf remaining a matchup nightmare and Smith-Njigba ready to jump onto the star track. But while the latter development did happen as hoped, it's fair to say the franchise didn't receive the bang for its buck with Metcalf and Lockett both failing to hit 1,000 yards and scoring seven combined touchdowns.
With Metcalf still being just 27 years old, the Seahawks likely will explore a contract extension with him rather than dangle him as trade bait heading into the final year of his current deal with hopes of lowering his 2025 cap hit and locking down the dynamic target long-term alongside Smith-Njigba. However, unless Lockett decides to return on a major pay cut, he won't be coming back with a $31 million cap hit next year with dramatically diminished production, signifying the end of an era for one of the most iconic receivers in franchise history.
Assuming Metcalf returns fully healthy and Smith-Njigba continues his ascent towards becoming a top-10 receiver, Seattle should have plenty of firepower in the passing game once again in 2025. But with Lockett likely on the way out and youngsters such as Dareke Young not developing into viable secondary targets, investing a draft pick or even two at the position may be on the menu in April out of necessity with turnover expected after years of continuity on the outside.
