D.K. Metcalf Requested Trade Multiple Times In Recent Years Before Seahawks Dealt Him To Steelers

The Steelers landed D.K. Metcalf in a trade from the Seahawks last month. According to Brady Henderson of ESPN, Metcalf requested to be traded “multiple times” in previous offseasons. 

Henderson writes that Seattle didn’t plan on making a trade to start this year’s offseason, but they had to weigh Metcalf’s unhappiness and the risk of signing him to a large contract extension. 

Henderson, citing sources, reports Metcalf’s preferred destinations were the Texans and Chargers. However, the receiver’s contract situation made things difficult, given the organization had to identify a team that would give them adequate compensation and be able to sign Metcalf to a new deal.

The Patriots were another team that was interested in Metcalf, but Henderson’s sources indicate the receiver didn’t want to play for New England. 

Before Metcalf was traded, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported the Chargers were believed to be his “top choice,” and the Texans were another team he was “watching closely.”

Panthers HC Dave Canales revealed they discussed potentially trading for Metcalf, who Canales coached when he was with the Seahawks. However they ultimately elected not to get involved — in part because Canales thinks they might already have their own version of Metcalf in 2024 first-round WR Xavier Legette.

Metcalf, 27, is a former second-round pick by the Seahawks in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Ole Miss. Seattle traded up to select him and exchanged the No. 77 and No. 118 picks for him.

He signed a four-year, $4,586,054 rookie contract, including a $1,355,312 signing bonus with the Seahawks, and was set to earn a base salary of $3,986,000 in 2022 when he signed a three-year, $72 million extension.

Metcalf was due base salaries of $13 million and $18 million in the final two years of the deal when he restructured his contract in 2024. He’s set to make a base salary of $18 million in 2024 and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

In 2024, Metcalf appeared in 15 games for the Seahawks and caught 66 passes on 108 targets for 992 yards (15.0 YPC) and five touchdowns.