Seahawks reportedly lessen asking price for DK Metcalf, but Patriots face another hurdle
Seattle was initially asking for a first-round pick in any deal involving Metcalf.
The Patriots’ chances of landing DK Metcalf may have just increased, although they still face at least one obstacle to signing him.
After initially asking for a first-round pick and a third-round selection for the star wide receiver, the Seahawks have lessened what they want in a possible trade, The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini reported Sunday. Seattle is now seeking a deal “centered around” a second-round pick, according to Russini.
However, Diggs is also seeking a warm weather climate in addition to an extension that’s worth $30 million per year, Russini added in her report.
While Metcalf has been one of the top wide receivers in the NFL for quite some time, the Seahawks’ ask of a first-round pick in return for him seemed a bit rich. In the previous five offseasons, Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and A.J. Brown are the only wide receivers to be traded for a first-round pick. Adams and Hill had been named first-team All-Pro on multiple occasions when they were traded while Diggs and Brown were 26 or younger at the time of their trades.
Metcalf, 27, has only been named an All-Pro once, earning second-team honors in 2020. He’s also a two-time Pro Bowler, with his most recent nod coming in 2023. But he’s entering the final year of his contract, which is likely hampering his mark
Obviously, the Patriots don’t fit the bill for what Metcalf wants from a weather standpoint. The Mississippi native made it clear that Massachusetts isn’t an ideal place for him to call home in an interview on “The Casuals” podcast with Katie Nolan in January.
“It’s not a desirable place in my opinion,” Metcalf said when asked if he could envision himself playing for the Patriots. “Great organization, though.”
But money can always change someone’s mind, and the Patriots showed a willingness to pay for a top-end wide receiver last offseason. They reportedly offered Brandon Aiyuk a contract worth more than $30 million per year when they attempted to land the 49ers wide receiver in a trade last August.
Whether the Patriots are willing to go to those lengths for Metcalf is still unknown. But they have “kicked the tires” on a possible deal for the Seahawks wide receiver, the Boston Herald reported during the combine.
Even though the Patriots aren’t a warm weather climate, that hasn’t stopped some from predicting that Metcalf will wind up in Foxborough, either. NFL Media lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently said that “everybody in the league thinks DK Metcalf is going to New England.”
Oddsmakers are also giving the Patriots a solid chance to land Metcalf. New England has the third-best odds (+330) to be the team Metcalf plays for in 2025, trailing just Seahawks (+300) and Chargers (+300) on DraftKings Sportsbook.
If the Patriots are still interested in a potential trade for Metcalf, not many teams can offer a better second-round pick than them. They hold the 38th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which is the sixth pick of the second round. They also have all of their second- and third-round picks in each of the next three drafts plus an additional third-round pick via the Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft.
A trade for Metcalf would instantly give the Patriots the best receiver they’ve had in years. He’s recorded at least 900 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns in each of his first six seasons in the league. He had 66 receptions for 992 yards and five touchdowns in 2024.
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