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After months of speculation and rumors surrounding the Seattle Seahawks and superstar wide receiver DK Metcalf, the two sides have finally agreed to a contract extension that will keep the 24-year-old in Seattle for the coming years.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Metcalf became one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL on Thursday, July 28 when he agreed to a three-year, $72 million extension that will keep him under contract until 2026.
The contract extension included a $30 million signing bonus, which is the higher ever given to a wide receiver in the history of the league. While his deal is shorter than some of the other extensions handed out to wide receivers around the league this offseason, it will also allow Metcalf to cash in again with a third NFL contract when he’s just 27 years old.
The news comes shortly after Metcalf reported to training camp, but elected to “opt in” and sit out of practice until a deal was done.
How DK Metcalf Earned a Record-Breaking Extension
Both sides had been hard at work this offseason to make sure that Metcalf stayed in Seattle for the next few seasons. Given all that he’s done in just a few short seasons in the league, it’s easy to see why general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll wanted to get a deal done.
Coming out of Ole Miss, Metcalf was an athletic star at 6’3″ and 228 pounds, running the 40-yard dash in only 4.33 seconds and posting a 40.5-inch vertical jump at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. However, some scouts were concerned with Metcalf’s poor agility scores, causing him to fall down draft boards.
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The Seahawks ultimately came away with a steal, selecting Metcalf with the last pick of the second round in the 2019 NFL Draft. Since coming to Seattle, the 24-year-old has done nothing but dominate the competition.
Since coming into the league in 2019, Metcalf has appeared in all 49 regular season games for the Seahawks, never missing a game due to injury or suspension. In those 49 games, he’s caught 216 passes for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns, adding another 315 yards and three scores in three career playoff games.
With a Pro Bowl appearance and a second-team All-Pro selection already under his belt, Metcalf had been criminally underpaid under his rookie deal. His rookie deal was worth just under $4.6 million over four years, but now Metcalf will start being paid an appropriate amount relative to his value and production.
Who Will Be Throwing to DK Metcalf?
With Metcalf’s contract situation out of the way, the biggest question remaining at Seahawks training camp is who will be throwing their star receiver the football. Russell Wilson is now in Denver after a blockbuster trade this offseason, leaving the Seahawks with either Geno Smith or Drew Lock to take over in his place.
Pete Carroll told reporters that Smith is the early frontrunner in the starting QB battle, having been with the team as Wilson’s backup since 2019. Smith shined in limited action stepping up for an injured Wilson last season, posting a 103.0 passer rating with five touchdowns and an interception in four games played.
Training camp is just kicking off, however, giving Lock plenty of time to compete for the starting job. A former college football standout at Missouri, Lock led the nation in passing touchdowns as as a junior for the Tigers. After a promising rookie season in Denver, Lock struggled to take care of the ball, ultimately losing his starting job before being traded to Seattle this offseason.
Lock is hoping that a change of scenery will help him regain his confidence. Fortunately for whoever is the starter in Week 1, they’ll have one of the best wide receiver duos in the league to throw to with Metcalf and Tyler Lockett making plays downfield.
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