No player on Seattle’s roster may have more upside than wideout DK Metcalf, who didn’t seem to be used to his full potential under Pete Carroll’s Seahawks coaching regime.
Terrifyingly fit, Metcalf tramples defenders with size (6-foot-4 and 236 pounds) and speed. He has the frame of an NBA basketball player rather than a football star and should be one of the more devastating players at his position.
It’s early in the season, but the new coaching staff under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald has fully embraced using Metcalf more often than under Carroll.
During Seattle’s 23-20 overtime win at New England in Week 2, Metcalf caught 10 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. Geno Smith frequently targeted second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (12 catches for 117 yards) and Metcalf to move the chains and gain the upper hand.
This was only the 13th 100-yard game of Metcalf’s career. The star averaged 2.4 such performances per season in his first five seasons under Carroll. Under the old coaching staff, Metcalf’s best season came in 2020, when he caught 83 passes for a career-high 1,303 yards.
New offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb spoke to Seattle Sports 710 about Metcalf’s abilities during the offseason, comparing him to former University of Washington star Rome Odunze, a rookie with the Chicago Bears. Grubb coached Odunze with the Huskies.
“These guys are [running] crossing routes, they’re middle-field open, they’re sitting in zones. They’re really versatile for big guys,” Grubb said.
Through two weeks, the Seahawks rank 13th in total offense in the NFL. Last season, they ended a playoffless season 21st in total offense. In 2022, they ranked 13th.
Of course, a much bigger sample size is needed to tell if Macdonald and Grubb can catapult this Seahawks offense into the top 10. Macdonald, the former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, is better known for his defensive acumen.
But getting Metcalf loose and made a priority are signs Seattle could have one of the better offenses in the NFL this season.
