Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf requested a trade out of the Emerald city on Wednesday afternoon. Metcalf has spent six seasons with the Seahawks, and missed the postseason every year since 2022.
Metcalf caught 66 passes last season and was just a shade under 1,000 yards in a subpar Seahawks passing attack. The 27-year-old has at least 900 yards receiving in each of his six campaigns. However, Metcalf is also entering the final year of his contract, which makes any trade for the All-Pro talent a little tricky. Metcalf isn't just seeking a new home for the remainder of his current deal, but a new contract as well. That, plus the draft capital an acquiring team would surely have to fork over to Seattle, makes any trade for Metcalf expensive in both the figurative and literal sense.
Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Seahawks are asking for a first-round pick and third-round pick in exchange for Metcalf. If that made you jump out of your chair, you are not alone.
Seahawks asking price for DK Metcalf is way too high
Metcalf is incredibly talented, but Deebo Samuel was traded for a fifth-round pick just a few days ago. The trade value of the wide receiver position is not high at the moment, and asking for that sort of return for Metcalf will cause interested parties to hang up the phone.
The vast majority of trade offers in The Athletic's corresponding article suggest a third-round selection to be a fair return. FanSided's own Chiefs-centric trade angle suggested a second-round pick and fifth-round selection should be enough to get the job done. While those valuations differ, one thing they have in common is being far less than what the Seahawks reportedly are asking for.
In terms of a trade comparison, Seattle likely wants a return in the vicinity of what the Titans received from the Eagles for AJ Brown in 2022 – the Nos. 18 and 101 overall picks. The trade market has fluctuated quite a bit since then, and Brown was also 24 years old at the time. Metcalf, 27 and in search of a new contract, doesn't have the same sort of high-end value.
For Seattle, fielding trade calls for Metcalf and cutting Tyler Lockett on the same day marks the end of an era. Lockett was Russell Wilson's favorite weapon during his time with the Seahawks, and Metcalf was supposed to be the second coming. Instead, while both players thrived individually, Seattle failed to live up to hefty expectations once Wilson was traded elsewhere.