GM Schneider discusses why Seahawks made DK Metcalf trade

After a productive six-year stint in the Pacific Northwest, DK Metcalf’s time in a Seattle Seahawks uniform came to an end last weekend.

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Reports surfaced Sunday that the Seahawks were trading their standout wide receiver to the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Thursday, the move became official with the Seattle’s sixth-round pick (No. 185) also heading to Pittsburgh in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 52) and seventh-rounder (No. 223).

Metcalf reportedly signed a new five-year, $150 million contract with Steelers following the trade. The deal included a four-year, $132 million extension on top of the one year he had remaining on his current contract.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported that Metcalf had requested a trade last Wednesday.

During The John Schneider Show on Seattle Sports, Seahawks general manager and president of football operations John Schneider discussed Thursday how the Metcalf trade occurred with Wyman and Bob.

“We weren’t interested in trading DK,” Schneider said, “and just over several conversations, it was just evident that he did want to be traded.”

News of Metcalf’s trade came just two days after reports that the Seahawks had sent quarterback Geno Smith to Pete Carroll’s Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick (No. 92 overall), which also became official Thursday. Contract extension talks with Smith had stalled out after the Seahawks made an offer, which Schneider said Seattle never received a counter on. The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta reported the Seahawks offered Smith a two-year contract worth $40-45 million.

DK Metcalf, Geno Smith share farewells to Seattle Seahawks fans

Seattle also released veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett last week, ending his 10-year run with the Seahawks.

Schneider characterized both Metcalf and Smith’s choices as “business decisions.”

“Both Geno and DK, these are business decisions,” Schneider said. “… It just was evident with DK that (this was) from a business standpoint – and he made that evident like, ‘Hey, it’s time to move.’”

Schneider said he, other members of the Seahawks front office and Metcalf’s agent worked through teams and “it ended up being Pittsburgh.”

The John Schneider Show airs at 4 p.m. each Thursday during Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob leading up to the first round of the NFL Draft on April 24. Hear this week’s edition in the podcast at this link or in the audio player in this post.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

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• Matt Hasselbeck: New Seahawks QB Sam Darnold is ‘a lot like me’
• Huard: Watch Darnold’s center with Vikings as a Seattle Seahawks target
• Salk: Why Seahawks may get better without rebuilding

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