Heaps: Seahawks’ DK Metcalf not reporting for minicamp is ‘red flag’

This time of year is typically quiet on the NFL news front, and that’s been the case with the Seahawks for a while now. But on Tuesday, some big news involving the team broke when NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that star Seattle receiver DK Metcalf will not be reporting to mandatory minicamp this week.

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Metcalf, 24, is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract and is looking for a long-term extension. Contract talks are the main reason Metcalf isn’t reporting to minicamp, Rapoport said, though Metcalf is also rehabbing from offseason foot surgery in Los Angeles. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Seahawks consider Metcalf’s absence to be unexcused, which could open the door for potential fines.

After the news broke, former Seahawks quarterback Jake Heaps shared his thoughts on the situation during Tuesday’s Jake and Stacy on Seattle Sports 710 AM, and he made it clear that this is not ideal for the two parties.

“What on earth is going on?” Heaps said. “Because what we initially heard and had conversations with was, look, DK Metcalf is saying and doing all the right things, that he is showing this organization every step of the way that he wants to be a Seattle Seahawk.”

Even though he is rehabbing from surgery, Metcalf reported for optional organized team activities in recent weeks, which head coach Pete Carroll thought was a big deal, Heaps said.

“And what did Pete Carroll say? He almost kind of gave him a pat on the back like, ‘Hey, way to show up for OTAs publicly. This is really important. It really means a lot,'” he said. “It means a lot in terms of him showing that he is a leader and can be a trusted voice to this organization. Now, DK Metcalf and the team may have a clearer understanding (on him not reporting to minicamp), but I will tell you that this is very unusual.”

Heaps said that Metcalf being injured shouldn’t have any impact on him coming to minicamp.

“It’s not like he can’t do his rehab in Seattle. He’s very capable of doing his rehab or to bring his crew or his team up to Seattle and work side-by-side with the Seahawks training staff,” Heaps said. “A lot of players do that. Russell Wilson did that, and I know a number of players have done that. The Seahawks are very open to that.”

Heaps said there’s only one reason Metcalf isn’t at minicamp.

“There really isn’t a good reason for DK Metcalf not to be here in Seattle this week other than to send a message, in my opinion,” he said. “Now, there’s probably a lot more details that we’re missing here, but from the optics perspective, from the outside looking in, this is the first red flag that we have seen in a very smooth process so far this offseason.”

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