Pros and Cons of Lions Trading for WR DK Metcalf

Read more on the pros and cons of the Detroit Lions trading for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf.

Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson has already been dealt out of Seattle. Could his former top target, wide receiver DK Metcalf, be next?

As of right now, it looks like Metcalf is staying put in Seattle. He recently appeared on SHOWTIME Basketball's "KG Certified," hosted by Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, and told Garnett, "It's time for me to step up and be a leader. It's my time in Seattle now." 

.@dkm14 joined #KGCertified and spoke on the 𝙝𝙪𝙜𝙚 Russell Wilson trade from the Seahawks 👀

New ep. available now 🔥 | https://t.co/732bVZ1Rnb pic.twitter.com/tNCCy1r2Px

— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) March 24, 2022

While that is the case, Metcalf's present contract with the Seahawks runs out at the end of the 2022 season. It's more likely that Pete Carroll and Seattle ink the 24-year-old to a new deal than move on from him this offseason or at season's end. 

However, if either the Seahawks or Metcalf change their mind at any point and decide to move on from one another, there will be a multitude of suitors for Metcalf's services. And, the Detroit Lions should be one of them. 

For starters, Metcalf, who turned 24 in December, could just be entering the prime of his NFL career.

He's coming off a 967-yard, 12-touchdown season in 2021. And, in three seasons as a pro, the Ole Miss product has amassed a total of 216 receptions, 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns. 

His career-best year came in 2020 when he recorded 83 receptions, 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. 

As much as he was helped out by the passing prowess of Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler, the belief is that Metcalf will be able to sustain his high-level production with another QB, whether it be in Seattle or somewhere else.

Standing in at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, Metcalf possesses an elite combo of physicality and explosiveness that has allowed him to develop into a game-breaking wideout. He can beat you deep and take the top off a defense, while also being able to win in the red zone due to his immense size.

He's the definition of a game-changing receiver that could add a layer to Detroit's offense that wasn't existent a year ago: the existence of a legitimate vertical passing game.

One downfall I see with landing Metcalf is the amount of draft capital it'll take to acquire his services. 

At the very, very least, Carroll and the Seahawks will demand the Lions' second of two first-round picks in this April's NFL Draft (No. 32 overall). And, you've got to believe that the package of draft assets received for Metcalf will consist of multiple picks. 

It's not typically optimal for a rebuilding franchise like Detroit to part with valuable draft capital. Yet, you make an exception for an organization-altering talent like Metcalf.

The other downfall is the new market that has been created for talented wideouts. 

Davante Adams and Christian Kirk have elevated the costs teams must pay for elite wideouts. 

The cost to extend Metcalf just may price Detroit out of the equation. 

If I'm Lions general manager Brad Holmes and I find out that Metcalf is available, I'm putting in a call to the Seahawks' front office.