The Seattle Seahawks have a rising young roster with a new scheme on both sides of the football led by head coach Mike Macdonald and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
The most intriguing position, though, is at wide receiver. Led by DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Grubb is going to have a multitude of talent at his disposal and the Seahawks could take a massive step forward in 2024.
Metcalf, who is expected to take on a role similar to Rome Odunze in Grubb's offense at Washington, is the most compelling element. A traditional X-receiver, Metcalf can take the top off of the defense and be a physical monster on all three levels.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler interviewed multiple coaches, executives and scouts to put together top-10 lists for every position, and Metcalf barely received a vote. In 2023, Metcalf made the top 10 at eighth overall. This is what they had to say about him going into last season.
- ESPNEvaluators are a bit torn on Metcalf, who, despite his obvious and massive talent, has surpassed 1,050 receiving yards only once in four seasons.
"I haven't seen enough," a high-ranking NFL exec said. "I'm waiting for him to take this step where he consistently plays as good as he looks. To me, not quite there."
But Metcalf vaulted two spots year over year because of everything he brings to the table. He can break just about any play for 80 yards with his ability to outrun or outmuscle defenders.
And he has produced in the playoffs. Metcalf joins Larry Fitzgerald and Randy Moss as the only players in postseason history with 450 receiving yards and five touchdowns over their first four playoff games.
"He has improved as a route runner — he doesn't run the entire route tree, but the routes he does run, he's really good and can rip off a big play at any time," a veteran NFL defensive coach said. "[He's] really hard to tackle."
When looking at these comments, it becomes obvious why Metcalf didn't make the top 10: production. Metcalf only caught 66 passes for 1,114 and eight touchdowns — ranking 18th in receiving yards among receivers — but made his second Pro Bowl.
Is this another case of West Coast bias? It's hard to explicitly say, but it's not out of the question. Metcalf was still dominant in 2023 and is primed to earn a spot on the 2025 list with a great season.
