Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf can definitely be a polarizing player, but it's easy to forget that he's been one of the better players at his position for several years now.
Through his first six seasons, Metcalf now has 438 receptions for 6,324 yards and 48 touchdowns. That averages out to around 77 receptions for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns over a 17-game season, production many teams would kill for their top wideout to have.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Metcalf's career is how consistent he's been. The 27-year-old has recorded at least 50 receptions, 900 yards and five touchdowns in each of his first six seasons. Only one player has ever done that before: Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss.
When comparing the two, however, it's not a favorable comparison for Metcalf. Through his first six seasons, Moss had 525 receptions for 8,325 yards and 77 touchdowns, plus some more contributions as a rusher and returner. He also had five Pro Bowl and three All-Pro selections to Metcalf's two Pro Bowl and one All-Pro selection.
That said, it's Randy Moss, one of the absolute best receivers in NFL history, so it's hard to fault Metcalf for that. Really, the fact he's even in Moss' company is very impressive.
This season was one of Metcalf's weaker ones, as he finished with 66 receptions for 992 yards and five touchdowns. Still, if that's one of his weaker seasons, then the Seahawks are very happy with their top wideout.
"I felt like we felt DK's presence consistently throughout the year and there were some explosives that he really tilted the game in our favor and that's really the vision we have for him is we just wish we could have done it more consistently," head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters last week. "Early in the season, going into the Atlanta game before he got his knee banged up, he was tops in the league probably dang near every category and we wish we could have kept that going when he got back.
"So those are the things we're looking to build off with DK, he's such a force out there, it's not just good enough to get the coverage tilted for him. We got to figure out more ways to give him the ball consistently and let it impact the game with the ball on his hands rather than just moving coverage that way."
