Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf is opening some eyes these days and could be primed for a big year for Pete Carroll’s club.
A year ago, the Seattle Seahawks overcame a 0-2 start to finish 10-6 and reach the playoffs for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. The team rediscovered its running attack and led the league in rushing. And reliable quarterback Russell Wilson was exceptional, hitting on 65.6 percent of his passes, good for 35 scores and only seven interceptions.
But head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider were looking for some more help at wide receiver opposite Tyler Lockett. He led the ‘Hawks with 57 grabs, 965 receiving yards and 10 TD receptions.
That became even more significant when the franchise opted to release Doug Baldwin last month. The underrated performer suffered through an injury-plagued 2018 but still finished second on the team (behind Lockett) with 50 catches, good for 618 yards and five scores in just 13 contests.
So after using a first and second-round pick on defensive help in April, Seattle used the final selection in the second ground to grab physical specimen D.K. Metcalf. The 6’3”, 228-pound target from Ole Miss was the talk of the NFL Scouting Combine but wound up going later in the draft than some may have forecasted.
So what has stood out the most so far according to the team’s veteran quarterback? “His knowledge of the game first,” explained the seven-year signal-caller to John Boyle of Seahawks.com. “Everybody knows about the ability to run and jump and catch and all that. But I think more than anything else, it’s his brain, how he processes information, how quickly he understands it. He’s really intelligent, he understands the game really well. He takes coaching well, he gets extra work.
“He’s a legit pro wide receiver, added Wilson. “He’s everything everyone was talking about in terms of what he’s capable of and more.”
By all indications, Metcalf could very easily wind up in the starting lineup opposite Lockett when the Seahawks host the Cincinnati in Week 1. And that could add up to quite the combination for Wilson to have at his disposal.