Did Pete Carroll hint at Seahawks trading DK Metcalf?

Pete Carroll may have hinted that DK Metcalf could be traded by the Seattle Seahawks soon.

He may not have explicitly stated it, but Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll used the same phrasing when describing wide receiver DK Metcalf as he did his former starting quarterback Russell Wilson.

Carroll said the Seattle franchise “intends” to have Metcalf as part of its 2022 team. He used the same wording when discussing Wilson’s future with the squad at the NFL Scouting Combine a few weeks ago. Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster deal shortly thereafter. Seattle may be rebuilding, but keep in mind Metcalf is playing in the final year of his rookie deal.

With the wide receiver market drying up in NFL free agency, trading for a proven playmaker like Metcalf in a contract year may not be the worst thing in the world for a contending team to do.

Carroll would also go on to say that he “can’t imagine not having D.K. Metcalf” as a part of the team, hinting that “an extension is in the future at some point” as well.

So which one is it?

DK Metcalf trade rumors: Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll comments

What this comes down to is what type of offer another NFL franchise be willing to put together in a trade with Seattle for Metcalf. One would think if a trade were to be imminent, it would happen before the 2022 NFL Draft. Given that he is in a contract year and still in the midst of his prime, Metcalf is probably worth a late first-round pick or at the very least an early second-round pick.

If Seattle were to trade him to an AFC team, it may take something in the ballpark of a top-40 pick, maybe a sweetener as well. Should it be an NFC team wanting Metcalf’s services, it could take at least two picks. Keep in mind that Metcalf has only played in the NFL with Wilson as his starting quarterback. Though he is a tremendous athlete, he seems to have a relatively limited route tree.

Ultimately, Metcalf could be a product of the guy rifling him the pigskin. If a team in dire need of a No. 1 wide receiver that has a proven starting quarterback gives Carroll and general manager John Schneider a call, the Seahawks brass should listen. Though they will want to field as close as a competitive roster as they can this year, Seattle is not expected to do much even in a weak NFC.

Carroll may want to keep Metcalf going forward, but if he gets a Godfather offer, he is so gone.