Why Jets could make a run at trade for Seahawks’ DK Metcalf

The DK Metcalf trade rumors haven’t died down this week after both Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider said at the NFL owners meetings that they intend to keep the star wide receiver – which sounds pretty similar to Carroll’s wording that the team had “no intention” of dealing Russell Wilson just days before the QB was traded to Denver.

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One team that could be in the mix for Metcalf is the New York Jets, and ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini provided insight into why Wednesday morning on Seattle Sports’ Mike Salk Show.

Asked by Salk if the Jets would be interested in Metcalf, Cimini said it’s pretty clear they would.

“Yeah – in a word, yes,” Cimini said with a slight chuckle.

As Cimini went on to explain, Metcalf has been a hot topic among Jets followers on Twitter in recent weeks, and last week’s trade that sent star receiver Tyreek Hill from Kansas City to Miami only added fuel to the fire.

“I think the Jets revealed their hand last week when it came out that they were very heavily involved in Tyreek Hill and they were willing to pay basically what he got (in a contract extension) from Miami, which is like $25 million a year,” Cimini said. “So yeah, the Jets are looking for a wide receiver, a star receiver. I think they would love to have DK Metcalf.”

That leads to Salk’s next question: What would it take from the Jets to pry Metcalf away from Seattle, especially considering Hill cost Miami five draft picks, including No. 29 (late first round) and No. 50 (second round) in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft?

“It would take more than the Tyreek Hill situation, that’s for sure,” Cimini said, noting that Metcalf is only 24 years old while Hill is 28. “I mean, Hill ended up going for a late one and a two. DK is, what, three or four years younger? So it’s gonna cost. The Jets would probably have to part with (their) second first-round pick, the 10th pick.”

This is where the conversation gets maybe a little uncomfortable for Seahawks fans. That No. 10 overall pick the Jets currently own was originally the Seahawks’, dealt to New York as part of the Jamal Adams trade in 2020.

“It could be the Jamal Adams trade in reverse. It’d be like the Jets giving back what they got in the Adams trade,” Cimini said.

According to Cimini, the Jets are pretty dead-set on acquiring a marquee receiver to help out second-year QB Zach Wilson, who could be good but probably isn’t destined for superstardom.

“They believe in the quarterback but they also believe they have to do as much as they can to help him,” Cimini said of the Jets.

One big thing to factor in is where Metcalf himself decides he would rather play. To this point, his statements have indicated he’s committed to the Seahawks, and he’s even voiced support for quarterback Drew Lock, one of the players Seattle received from Denver in the Wilson trade. But Cimini saw Adams’ exit from New York up close, and that is something he’s keeping in mind.

“(Metcalf rumors have) been going on for several weeks actually just in Twitter-land, so I did some snooping around and I was told probably about a week and a half ago that DK is not available. But, you know, things change. And a lot of it depends on DK’s position, as well,” he said. “Like, how hard is he going to push this?

“When the Jets had Jamal Adams a couple of years ago, it’s a very comparable situation – a star player going into his fourth year. Adams pushed it. I mean he and his agent really shot their way out of town. They did everything they could to muddy the waters so much just so that the Jets would trade him, and it worked. So it depends on DK, if he wants to go that route. If he wants to go the scorched earth route and make a nuisance of it so they have no choice to trade him, I mean, that’s up to him. But otherwise, the Seahawks have him under control for at least two years – this year plus a franchise tag year – and so that’s tremendous leverage for the Seahawks.”

You can hear the entire conversation between Cimini and Salk in the podcast below.

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