DK Metcalf: Winners and Losers from WR’s new contract

The Seattle Seahawks and wide receiver DK Metcalf got into an agreement for a contract extension worth $72M over the next three years, which makes him one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the league, just below A.J. Brown but with one of the biggest guarantees ever in terms of contract percentage.

Metcalf’s extension will have a ton of effects on the league as a whole, which always happens whenever a major deal or anything contract-related happens. With the wide receiver market shooting up for the moon this offseason after Christian Kirk’s deal kickstarted a major run of big deals, all teams were paying attention to Metcalf and whenever he would extend.

Let’s analyze the winners and losers from the new contract of DK Metcalf.

Winners:

DK Metcalf: After a period of uncertainty about his future, especially after the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson – a move that indicated that the team would enter a period of rebuilding -, Metcalf got his wish. He’s now rich, has massive guarantees tied to his contract and he’s going to hit free agency again at age 27, which means he will be able to negotiate a second big extension.

Diontae Johnson and Deebo Samuel: With new deals, it’s always important to check out who’s next on the line to receive an extension with the previous deal working as a baseline. For Johnson and Samuel, both young superstar receivers that are looking to renew their deals, the fact that Metcalf got $58M guaranteed in a 3-year deal is music to their ears.

Tyler Lockett: The other Seahawks’ star receiver has always been an inconstant player. Nobody debates Lockett’s talent, but he’s the kind of player that really dominates in one game and then goes AWOL in the other. With Metcalf attracting the defense’s attention on the other side, Lockett will have an easier task for most of the games he plays.

Seahawks QB, whoever wins the starting job: We have absolutely no idea who’s gonna come out on top in this quarterback battle, the only thing we know is that none of these guys come closer to Russell Wilson’s talent. It’s always easier to throw the ball when you have better receivers, especially with Metcalf’s athletic dominance, which will be a plus since he can make the most out of imperfect throws.

Losers:

Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks are paying top-of-the-market money to two wide receivers when they don’t even have an elite quarterback to throw them the ball – perhaps even worse is that Pete Carroll despises the idea of a passing-heavy offense, instead focusing on running the ball on first downs. They basically had to pay Metcalf because they would have no leverage if it went down to a trade situation, but it doesn’t mean that he’s going to be of great use considering how their offense shakes up.

Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers: During the 2022 training camp, Diontae Johnson and Deebo Samuel have been ‘hold-ins’ for their teams: they have reported for training camp to avoid fines and bigger problems, but they’re not practicing as they don’t want to risk their own values by suffering an injury. Metcalf’s total deal and heavy guarantees will work as the baseline for these two receivers to negotiate extensions, especially Samuel, who now certainly will not reach an agreement unless he gets at least $25M per year.

NFC West cornerbacks: Bro, seriously, imagine trying to tackle Metcalf. We’ve even seen players get hurt after they collide with him! It’s probably not the greatest feeling in the world trying to cover this guy, and every cornerback in the division must feel a little bit scary now that they know he’s staying for at least three more years.

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