Getty Seattle Seahawks star DK Metcalf believes he has been too much of a vocal leader.
Seattle Seahawks star receiver DK Metcalf is making some changes from last season as the wideout believes he was too much of a vocal leader. Metcalf plans to lead by example in 2023 admitting he “overstepped some boundaries.”
“It [did] not affect the relationships in the locker room, but I overstepped some boundaries,” Metcalf told reporters on June 7, 2023. “Where if I was just going to lead by example, those boundaries would never touch.”
Metcalf plans to rely on Geno Smith to be the team’s vocal leader while the receiver wants to lead by example. The star wideout admitted that the departures of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner last offseason prompted him to take on an uncomfortable role.
“When you lose guys like Bobby and Russ, you try to force yourself into roles that you think that you can fulfill,” Metcalf explained. “And that just wasn’t my role, that’s Geno’s role to be a vocal leader. He’s a quarterback. He’s the one calling the plays. He’s the one saying ‘hut’ and last year it was Quandre [Diggs] and Al [Woods].
“And me fitting into my role of just bringing up a young guy and showing them what it takes to be a professional. Just things that I learned from guys like Bobby and Russ instead of just vocally saying it, just doing it myself and if they want to do it along with me they can. If not, they can find their way.”
DK Metcalf on Seahawks Receiver Dee Eskridge: ‘From Last Year to Now, I Think He’s a Totally Different Player’
The Seahawks drafted Ohio State standout Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the No. 20 pick with the expectation that he could fulfill the third receiver role alongside Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Metcalf is not ready to discount the impact Dee Eskridge can make this upcoming season praising his performance this offseason and admitting he is even learning things from the wideout.
“From last year to now, I think he’s a totally different player,” Metcalf said of Eskridge. “He’s been explosive off the line of scrimmage, catching everything, knows where to line up. He’s teaching me stuff since I haven’t been here for a couple weeks. So, he’s teaching me stuff about the offense, little details about the routes that I didn’t know before. So, he’s just locked in more than ever.”
Eskridge has struggled to make an impact after being selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. The receiver has missed significant time over his first two seasons with injuries. Eskridge had just seven receptions for 58 yards in 10 appearances last season.
DK Metcalf on Seahawks Wide Receivers: ‘Nobody’s Gonna Back Down From the Competition’
As for Metcalf, the playmaker appeared to thrive with Smith at quarterback receiving 141 targets in 2022, the most of his career. Metcalf posted 90 receptions for 1,048 and six touchdowns during 17 starts in 2022. It will be interesting to see how the ball is distributed with the addition of Smith-Njigba along with the potential for Eskridge to take a step forward.
“Nobody’s gonna back down from the competition in the receiver room,” Metcalf added. “We’re all competing. We all want to see each other succeed, so that’s the one thing that’s refreshing to see in the receiver room.”