Things for the Seattle Seahawks are taking a turn for the worse during OTAs.
Their young star receiver DK Metcalf has skipped out on OTAs and it shows he means business with wanting a new deal.
The young receiver is entering his fourth year of his rookie contract that isn’t paying him what he feels he’s worth.
With receivers like Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill getting huge contract deals, Metcalf wants the same treatment in Seattle.
However, him missing the mandatory OTAs could cost him via fines by Seattle if he doesn’t show up to any of those minicamps.
The Seahawks can choose to fine DK Metcalf if his absence from mandatory minicamp is deemed unexcused. Fines start at about $15.9K on Day 1 then go up to around $47.9K if he misses all 3 days of camp.
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) June 7, 2022
But those potential fines would be small if he got a bigger contract deal.
So to him, it’s worth paying those fines in the negotiation process he’s currently in with Seattle.
However, it could backfire on him.
Without A Star Quarterback, Seattle Might Be Willing To Part With Metcalf
While there’s nothing showing a willingness of Seattle to trade Metcalf, it could happen if he’s playing hardball during contract talks.
The team already is without a star quarterback after trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.
If the team were willing to just rebuild, they can easily trade Metcalf for a top draft pick in 2023 to begin that process.
However, it would signal to fans that they aren’t willing to win in 2022 with who they have now.
That wouldn’t go over well with a fan base that was spoiled by playoff and Super Bowl appearances during Wilson’s time there.
But the Seahawks are going to always put their team first, and trading Metcalf could be something they do.
With Metcalf missing OTAs, and Seattle without a top-tier quarterback, maybe he wants to be traded.
Could His Absence At OTAs During Contract Talks Signal He Wants Out Of Seattle?
Another angle with this story could be Metcalf wanting out of Seattle.
He’s without a great quarterback and doesn’t have the deal he wants.
With those factors, him leaving Seattle makes sense for him and his career.
If you were DK Metcalf, playing in Seattle next year doesn’t make sense — why would you want to play out your contract year with Geno Smith & Drew Lock at QB?
Metcalf may be in the early stages of a true holdout, which could force Seattle’s hand. A trade makes sense for them.
— Robert Schmitz (@robertkschmitz) June 8, 2022
With him on his last year of a rookie contract, this season is make or break for him.
That’s why it’s important for him to get his money now.
Otherwise, if he performs poorly in 2022 without a new contract, his value is diminished.
He might also realize playing with the quarterbacks in Seattle could hurt his numbers.
So it makes sense for him to want a trade to a better team.
However, what would Seattle want if they entertain any trade talks?
If Seattle Trades Metcalf, They’d Want A First-Round Pick
With the young receiver putting a high price on his services, it’s no doubt Seattle would require a high price to trade for him.
While he didn’t post numbers like other top-tier receivers, he still has value in any trade talks.
However, some teams might worry about him coming off a foot injury.
With Seattle most likely wanting a first-round pick, teams might use that injury to talk them down to a second-round pick.
But with the NFL regular season approaching fast, time will tell if Metcalf gets a deal or gets traded.
NEXT: The Seahawks Seem To Be Preparing For A Big Move