The Seattle Seahawks made the shocking move to not draft a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft.
However, they drafted offensive and defensive linemen to rebuild the team.
But how does that help DK Metcalf, who is in contract talks with Seattle?
The linemen they drafted help protect the team’s current starting quarterback, Drew Lock.
Building an offensive line gives their quarterback the time to get those passes to Metcalf.
However, they need more than just an offensive line to build with their star receiver.
They need other key position players to help him and to build around him in Seattle.
Finding A New Quarterback Might Help Them Build With Metcalf
Russell Wilson was the anchor of Seattle and their offense for many years.
Now that he’s moved on, Seattle looks to an unproven quarterback from Denver in 2022.
The second-round pick from 2019 hasn’t shown he’s a long-term quarterback in his playing time.
While he started his rookie season with a 4-1 record, the following year saw him only start 13 games and finish 4-9.
Carson Wentz and Drew Lock had eerily similar seasons in 2020.
Wentz Lock
16 Pass TD 16
15 INT 15
2,620 Pass Yds 2,933
57.4% Comp Pct 57.3%
3-8-1 Record 4-9 pic.twitter.com/SUC7VNnZdt— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 17, 2021
That second year saw him throw only 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, a ratio that’s not promising.
However, the Seahawks could change that with a new quarterback for Metcalf.
Whether it’s from a trade or the 2023 NFL Draft, the team needs a better quarterback than Lock.
If they don’t, the star receiver’s numbers might suffer.
Metcalf Needs A New Deal If Seattle Wants To Build With Him
Metcalf, like many NFL receivers in 2022, is seeking a new contract.
The second-round pick from 2019 says he wants to stay in Seattle and expects a deal to get done.
📝💵 DK Metcalf expects to sign a long-term contract with the Seattle Seahawks.#NFL #Football pic.twitter.com/Puw8dz5vzs
— AS USA (@English_AS) May 4, 2022
However, it’s still up to management if Seattle keeps him around with an extension.
The young receiver is the best receiver they have currently on the roster.
While Seattle did draft two receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft, they were both seventh-round picks.
Metcalf is a proven starter for the Seahawks that can help keep them competitive in 2022.
However, Seattle might examine his 2021 performance too closely.
If they are, they might see declining production without seeing factors behind the decline.
He Saw Slight Decline In Stats During 2021
While Metcalf had a good year in 2020, his numbers slipped in 2021.
However, some decline could come from Wilson missing games because of his injury.
His number of targets were the same from 2020 to 2021 with 129.
But his catches in 2021 were down by only eight compared to 2020.
Where things get interesting is his receiving yards.
So with the same number of targets, and eight fewer receptions, he had 336 fewer receiving yards.
However, he had 12 touchdowns for 2021, an increase of two from the previous season.
Seattle should factor these variables before making a deal with the receiver.
But they also can’t expect his numbers to keep improving without stability under center.
If they don’t make a fix at quarterback, 2022 could see further decline with Metcalf.
Unless Lock can make changes with his performance and ball protection, a new quarterback is the only option for Seattle.
However, finding the next Russell Wilson won’t be easy for the Seahawks.
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