Getty Pete Carroll is "optimistic" Seahawks will get a deal done with star receiver DK Metcalf.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll knows why DK Metcalf is sitting out minicamp.
As the Seahawks began mandatory minicamp practices on Tuesday, June 7, Metcalf was noticeably absent from the session. As Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times noted, it was not an unexcused absence; Metcalf can be fined roughly $90,000 for missing all three of the Seahawks’ minicamp sessions.
While Metcalf is making his way back from offseason foot surgery, Carroll seemed to acknowledge that the contract — not Metcalf’s injury — was the reason for his absence from minicamp.
“There’s been conversations,” Carroll said, via Condotta on Thursday, June 9. “Pretty standard, kinda semi-quiet right now. Camp’s coming up. These are crucial weeks to get something done, we’ll see what happens and hopefully we can work something out.”
Metcalf is Vastly Underpaid on Last Year of Deal
The 24-year-old receiver is aiming for a new contract as he enters the last year of his rookie deal. His current contract pays him just $4.6 million across four seasons. Metcalf’s $4.3 million cap hit ranks him as the 41st-highest paid receiver in the league.
According to Spotrac, Metcalf’s true market value is $23.3 million per season across four years. That would make Metcalf the sixth-highest paid receiver in the league.
Considering receivers across the league continue to receive new contracts and increase the standard for the value of players at the position, it’s no surprise Metcalf has taken this stance. While Carroll is well aware of the reason Metcalf is sitting out, he expressed disappointment over his star receiver’s absence.
“I had hoped that he might come in, because he was still in rehab phase, he wouldn’t be able to do all of the work,” Carroll said. “That he would’ve been here, would’ve been good for us. Unfortunately, he wasn’t here.”
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Carroll on New Deal for Metcalf: ‘I’m Not Less Optimistic’
With that being said, Carroll is still “optimistic” the Seahawks can get a deal done with Metcalf. Carroll referenced similar situations — Seattle previously dealt with Jamal Adams’ “hold-in” as he was seeking a new deal during 2021 training camp — where the Seahawks eventually worked it out with their star players.
“I’m not less optimistic,” Carroll said. “We’ve been through this for years. We know it’s a challenging time. We’ve had so many high-profile guys that’ve gone through this process. How’s that worked out for us? We figured it out in time.”
After Adams sat out workouts during 2021 training camp, he eventually agreed to a four-year deal with a top value of $72 million, with a $20 million signing bonus and $38 million guaranteed, becoming the highest-paid safety in NFL history.
Considering Metcalf’s peers are receiving monster contracts, it’s fair to assume the young receiver will likely receive at least $25 million annually on his next deal. Cooper Kupp recently inked a $75 million guaranteed deal with the Los Angeles Rams that will pay him just under $27 million annually. Fellow 24-year-old receiver A.J. Brown recently inked a four-year, $100 million deal with his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
With more than a month to go until training camp and both sides in agreement that there’s a sense of urgency in getting a new deal done for Metcalf, it’s only a matter of when — not if — the star receiver will get paid.