Getty Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf is holding out of mandatory minicamp.
The Seattle Seahawks and superstar wide receiver DK Metcalf appeared to be on good terms heading into mandatory minicamp, but the two sides may be farther apart on a a long-term deal than previously expected.
Metcalf was not present at the start of mandatory minicamp. Brady Henderson from ESPN.com confirmed that the star receiver wasn’t present, adding that Metcalf’s absence wasn’t excused despite rehabbing from foot surgery. The 24-year-old old could face more than $90,000 in fines if he misses the entirety of minicamp, per Henderson.
Sources confirm to @JFowlerESPN and me that DK Metcalf is not present for the start of Seahawks mandatory minicamp. Players with unexcused absences are subject to over $90K in fines for missing all three days. Metcalf is seeking an extension and recovering from foot surgery.
Still on his rookie deal, Metcalf earned just over $900,000 in 2021. That means that the Seahawks wide receiver could be fined nearly ten percent of last year’s income for missing three days of practice. He is set to make almost $4 million in 2022, and a massive contract will be coming in 2023, but the $90,000 fine and any other disciplinary action is worth noting.
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A DK Metcalf Contract Extension Appeared Likely
Seahawks fans were optimistic about a long-term extension for Metcalf after some of his recent public statements and his appearance earlier in the offseason at voluntary workouts. The star receiver holding out of minicamp might be making those some fans a bit more nervous, however.
Metcalf appeared on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay to talk about his future with the Seahawks back in early May. The 24-year-old was optimistic at the time, saying that he expected a deal to get done.
.@dkm14 on his current contract negotiations with the Seahawks:
“We’re going to get something done. I think I’m going to be in Seattle for the next couple of years.”
“It’s all smiles right now,” Metcalf told Sharpe. “I will say we’re going to get something done. I think I’m going to be in Seattle for the next couple of years.”
Metcalf is seeking a big payday after being payed significantly under market value on his rookie deal as a former second-round pick. Some national analysts are expecting Metcalf to become the highest paid wide receiver in NFL history.
Holding out of minicamp is likely a move to put some urgency on general manager John Schneider and the Seahawks front office to get a deal done sooner rather than later. Time will tell whether or not that move accelerates the negotiating process.
How Much Could DK Metcalf Get Paid?
A deal isn’t done yet, but considering some of the other contracts given out to the NFL’s best wide receivers this offseason, Metcalf is in line for a major payday.
The wide receiver market got reset this offseason thanks to a handful of moves. The Las Vegas Raiders made a trade for former Green Bay Packers star Davante Adams, then immediately signed him to a five-year deal worth more than $141 million.
The Miami Dolphins made a similar move, making a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for the speedster Tyreek Hill. The Dolphins then gave the 28-year-old a four-year, $120 million extension.
Even Metcalf’s former college teammate A.J. Brown got a massive deal after the Philadelphia Eagles made a trade on the first day of the 2022 NFL Draft with the Tennessee Titans. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman then gave Brown a $100 million extension.
The common denominator for all of these receivers is that they were ultimately traded to a new team in order to get a deal done. Metcalf is still under contract for the Seahawks, but as fans of other teams have seen in recent months, situations can change quickly when it comes to contract negotiations with star wide receivers.