Seattle Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf has requested a trade, and NFL insiders believe that the Los Angeles Chargers are expected to be the landing spot for the dynamic wide receiver.
LA Chargers Expected to Land DK Metcalf If Traded
After rumors swirled at the NFL Combine last week that the Seahawks were getting calls about trading Metcalf, things seemed to take a different turn this week. Metcalf has formally requested a trade from the Seahawks and is looking for a new home.
The two-time Pro Bowler has been a dynamic receiver for the Seahawks since being drafted in 2019, and the Chargers are expected to be the front-runner for the landing spot for Metcalf. Fox NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Chargers “quietly, but aggressively” pursued Metcalf last offseason. Jonathan Jones of CBS has reported that people around the league believe that Metcalf will land with the Chargers if he is traded.
Metcalf played in 15 games last season and finished with 66 catches, 992 yards, and five touchdowns. 2025 is the last year of Metcalf’s contract, and he is probably giving the Seahawks a chance to get something back for him now rather than leaving in free agency after the 2025 season
Chargers In Need of Receiver Talent
The Chargers are in need of dynamic weapons to put around star quarterback Justin Herbert. They did strike gold at receiver in the 2024 draft, taking Ladd McConkey in the second round out of Georgia, who ended up being the team’s best receiver as a rookie.
In the first round of the 2023 draft, the Chargers selected receiver Quentin Johnston, who hasn’t quite lived up to his first-round talent consistently. Metcalf could be the perfect receiver to add to this group as he is only 27 years old and can grow with the Charger’s young receiving core.
LA is in a tough division with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, so the Chargers will have to make sure they have a solid offense to keep pace in a highly competitive AFC West. The Chargers made the playoffs in 2024 but had an embarrassing loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round. Herbert threw four interceptions, but part of the reason for that was the lack of playmakers the Chargers had on the perimeter. Trading for Metcalf would solve one of the Chargers offensive issues.
Bills, Packers, and Steelers Also Interested in Metcalf
It has also been reported that the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, and Pittsburgh Steelers are also interested in trading for Metcalf. Any team that trades for him would likely need to sign him to an extension as well.
The Bills and Packers, in particular, have a good collection of receiver talent, but they don’t have one go-to receiver, which Metcalf could be if he went to either of those teams.
Where Would the Seahawks Pivot After a Metcalf Trade
The Seahawks could look to the draft for Metcalf’s replacement. They already have Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who they drafted in 2023 and made his first Pro Bowl in the 2024 season. With the resources Seattle could get in a Metcalf trade, they could turn it into another receiver who would be younger and on a cheaper contract.
Main Image: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
