A free agent who could help Seahawks fill void at WR

It’s starting to look like the Seattle Seahawks’ wide receiver room will undergo a massive change this offseason.

The Seahawks announced the expected release of veteran Tyler Lockett on Wednesday morning. Less than 40 minutes later, reports started to surface that star wideout DK Metcalf has requested to be traded.

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If a Metcalf trade does indeed happen, Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be the only returning Seahawks receiver who played a significant role in 2024. Unless Seattle is ready to role with Jake Bobo as its No. 2 receiver, the team will need to look to free agency or the draft to retool its pass-catching group.

This year’s free agent market has some big names at wide receiver with the likes of Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs and Chris Godwin – all of whom are ranked as top-25 free agents by ESPN – atop the list. But each of those wideouts have significant red flags ranging from injury history, to age, to character issues.

However, there’s a somewhat under-the-radar receiver on the market that caught the attention of former NFL quarterback Brock Huard. Just hours before the Lockett and Metcalf news broke, Huard discussed why he believes New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton could be a solid option for the Seahawks.

“(He’s) still a step back from DK significantly and a different kind of guy, but every time the Seahawks have played him – and he had a huge game this year against them this year – every time I’m like, ‘I like that guy,'” Huard said. “When I saw him (playing in college) at Auburn, I liked that guy.”

Slayton checks in at No. 32 overall and as the No. 5 receiver on ESPN’s list of top-100 free agents. The sixth-year pro had 39 receptions for 573 yards and two TDs last season.

The Seahawks had an up-close view of the 28-year-old Slayton’s best game in 2024, when the former fifth-round draft pick torched Seattle’s secondary for a season-high 122 yards and one TD on eight receptions in a disappointing home loss to the woeful Giants.

DJ LAUNCHES TO SLAYTON 🚀

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Ei9YalCAPD

— New York Giants (@Giants) October 6, 2024

Slayton has never reached 800 receiving yards in a season, but some of that can be contributed to New York’s lack of talent at quarterback during his tenure. When the Giants have been able to get him the ball, he’s been among the most effective big-play receivers in the league while averaging 15 yards per catch during his career. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Slayton finished in the top 15 among wide receivers with at least 70 targets in yards per reception in five of his six pro seasons, raking as high as fifth in 2022.

“He’s never had a top-notch QB to throw to him, but he’s always been a pro and effective,” Huard said. “… (He’s) a little bit undersized, not as physical, but a guy that can play outside. He’s a good route runner. And I finally found a receiver on that free agent market that if you were to go that DK trade route, that could at least come in and fill some of the void.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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