Abbie Parr/Getty Images Quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens during a game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on October 20, 2019.
It was only three weeks ago that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson indicated that he was finished trying to recruit players to come to Baltimore. “Every time I done reached out they end up going to a divisional opponent,” he lamented on Twitter.
But on Sunday April 3, Jackson was back at it, telling Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf that he’d be welcomed in Baltimore with open arms, taking care to note that he already feels pretty good about the “Guyz” he’s throwing the ball to.
D.K. Metcalf Earned Pro Bowl Honors in 2020
At 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, Metcalf certainly makes for an attractive target. The former second-round pick (No. 64 overall in 2019 out of Mississippi) made 48 starts for the Seahawks during his first three seasons in the league, amassing 216 receptions for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdown catches, while averaging 14.7 yards per catch, as per Pro Football Reference.
His best season came in 2020 when he made the Pro Bowl on the strength of 83 catches for 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns. His overall production dipped last season, though he had a career-high 12 touchdown catches among his 75 receptions.
Of course, if the Ravens want to procure his services, they will have to acquire him via trade, as Metcalf is entering the last year of his rookie contract, which is scheduled to pay him a salary of $3.986 million, according to overthecap.com.
Rumor has it that Metcalf could be available, even if the Seahawks aren’t necessarily looking to trade him. On Sunday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN appeared on SportsCenter and said “… the execs I talk to keep bringing him up that maybe they would either be willing to move on at the right price or that Metcalf would welcome a change.”
The ”tricky part,” as Fowler put it, is that Metcalf, 24, would need a new contract as part of a trade, as the Ravens would not want to give up significant draft capital without securing his services for years to come.
On the other hand, the fact that Metcalf is entering a contract year might make it more likely that the Seahawks decide to deal him, especially if Seattle is concerned about its ability to sign him to a second contract.
As for Jackson’s aforementioned message to Metcalf, he went on to tweet that “he shouldn’t have tweeted that cause now people gone speculate all type of stuff.”
Ight my bad I shouldn’t have tweeted that cause now people gone speculate all type of stuff🤣 Hey but it’s Twitter let me tweet
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D.K. Metcalf’s Father Played 7 Seasons for the Bears
If the Ravens somehow do acquire D.K. Metcalf, they will be getting a player with NFL bloodlines. His father was a third-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2002 and went on to appear in 84 career games (25 starts) between 2002-08, according to Pro Football Reference. Like his son, Terrence Metcalf played his college football at Mississippi. Unlike his son, Terrence played offensive guard and tackle, as his playing weight hovered around 310 pounds.
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