Getty DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before a game.
As DK Metcalf and the Seattle Seahawks attempt to agree to a new contract, the star receiver briefly addressed the 12s during the Seattle All-Star Classic Celebrity Softball Game on June 25, 2022. Metcalf did not get into his full rationale behind the recent minicamp holdout but hinted at his desire to remain in Seattle.
“And while it could hardly have been expected Metcalf would have used the occasion of a celebrity softball game to get anything off his chest, his brief remarks to the crowd seemed to indicate he hopes to stick around,” The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta wrote on June 25.
“’I know I’ve only been here three years,’ Metcalf said. ‘But y’all are my family now.’”
Metcalf skipped the Seahawks mandatory minicamp during June 14-16 as part of the wideout’s push for a new long-term deal. The Seahawks playmaker is heading into the final season of his four-year, $4.5 million rookie contract.
Metcalf is slated to have a $3.98 million salary in 2022 and will be a free agent in 2023 if no new deal is reached. Under this scenario, the Seahawks would still have the ability to use the franchise tag to keep Metcalf from hitting free agency next offseason.
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There Is ‘No Bad Blood’ Between Metcalf & Seahawks, Says Insider
Despite the tension in attempting to get a new deal done, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported that there is “no bad blood” between the receiver and Seahawks. Yet, Seattle is running out of time to iron out a new contract with Metcalf before veterans report to training camp on July 26.
“The Seahawks are hopeful that they can get a deal done with DK Metcalf, who is also entering the final year of his deal,” Fowler said on a June 20 edition of “SportsCenter,” per Bleacher Report. “They probably will wait until around training camp to heat that up. That’s what happened with Jamal Adams, their high-profile free agent from last year. So, I’m told Metcalf has been in touch with some people in Seattle, there’s no bad blood despite him missing minicamp last week. It’s really just the cost of doing business at a high level and they’re hopeful that they can get that to the finish line.”
Seahawks Insider on DK’s Health: ‘Metcalf Looked No Worse for the Wear’
Aside from the contract stalemate, there is good news regarding Metcalf’s health as the NFL star appears to have recovered from his offseason foot surgery. Metcalf moved around just fine during the celebrity softball game showing he was “no worse for the wear,” per Condotta. There is clearly a major difference between taking on opposing NFL corners and jogging around the bases during a charity event.
“But during the softball game Metcalf’s foot appeared just fine — though it’s worth remembering there’s a big difference between legging out a hit in a celebrity softball game and playing in an NFL game,” Condotta detailed. “Still, Metcalf looked no worse for the wear. He ran easily to second base on his first at-bat when his hit up the middle was thrown away. And he then scampered quickly to home a few seconds later to score following another hit.
“…And while celebrity softball games are hardly intense affairs, if there were really any worries about how Metcalf’s foot was recovering from the surgery they didn’t seem evident Saturday. It was the first running Metcalf had been seen doing in the Seattle area since the season ended, though.”