The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC next week, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.
In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.
In the prime of his career and ready to get to work in a new offense, will DK Metcalf take the next step towards entering the upper echelon of the NFL's elite receivers?
Background
Coming off a career-threatening neck injury suffered at Ole Miss, Metcalf made a spectacular recovery and put on a show at the 2019 NFL Combine with a blazing 4.33 40-yard dash time at 228 pounds. However, he still fell out of the first round with teams having reservations about his health and overall skill set, leading to the Seahawks trading up to pick him 64th overall. Installed as a day one starter, few receivers have gotten off to a better start to their career than Metcalf, who is one of 11 players in league history to produce 370 reception, 5,250 receiving yards, and 40 touchdowns in their first five seasons. Though he caught the second-fewest passes (66) of his career in a season a year ago, he still surpassed 1,000 yards for the third time and averaged a career-best 16.9 yards per reception with eight touchdowns.
Scheme Fit
A true size/speed freak for his position at 6-3, 229 pounds, Metcalf has primarily played the X receiver position outside to take advantage of his vertical capabilities as a downfield threat. With that said, he has shown the flexibility to play in the slot, logging 16 percent of his offensive snaps inside since coming into the league. With coordinator Ryan Grubb having a reputation for moving his receivers around the formation, that number could tick above 20 percent for the first time in 2024.
Best Case Scenario
Putting everything together in Grubb's aggressive, downfield passing game and clicking on all cylinders with quarterback Geno Smith in their third year together, Metcalf breaks his own single season franchise record by eclipsing 1,400 receiving yards for the first time and catches 12 touchdowns, earning All-Pro distinction for the second time in his career.
Worst Case Scenario
While Metcalf again hits the century mark and catches six touchdowns, the emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba as a viable top receiver and presence of Tyler Lockett as a dynamic third receiver cuts into his targets, limiting him to under 75 receptions for the third time in his career and creating questions about what the Seahawks will do entering the final year of his contract in 2025.
What to Expect in 2024
After seeing Rome Odunze erupt in Grubb's offense as Washington, Metcalf will enter his sixth season with incredibly high expectations, even by his already lofty standards. Still just 26 years old, while he has consistently been a top-15 caliber receiver, he's never produced the overall numbers expected of an elite No. 1 receiver in large part due to the other talented wideouts around him. If there's a year where the stars align for him to shatter his own personal records - and re-write the franchise record books in the process - Grubb's arrival opens the door for such a possibility.
With that said, Smith-Njigba's anticipated ascent in his second season as a high-volume pass catcher could make it more difficult for Metcalf to get enough opportunities to threaten his single season receiving yardage record from 2020. If Lockett remains a 70-plus catch contributor as well and Noah Fant gets more targets thrown his way, the offense may not be catered for him to break out with a record-breaking season considering the number of weapons the team has. Regardless, he has been a consistent producer year in and year out, and Metcalf should be good for 75 catches and 1,000-plus yards while threatening double digit touchdowns, and he could be even better with Grubb calling the shots to maximize his talents.
