Seattle Seahawks 'Elite Trio' of Receivers Highlighted as Greatest Strength

Boasting both experience and upside, the Seahawks will roll into the 2024 season with a receiving corps rivaled by few other teams in the NFL.

Nov 1, 2020; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) and wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) return to the locker room following a 37-27 victory against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

With most of their standout players returning and several new pieces added this offseason, the Seattle Seahawks have a deep roster, but that's especially the case at the receiver position.

Led by the trio of DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, it's easy to see why ESPN writers Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz, and Seth Walder have listed the receiving corps as the Seahawks' biggest strength rolling into the 2024 season.

"Seattle's roster has several standout units, but wideout gets the nod here over the defensive line. DK Metcalf (10th in receiving yards and fifth in TD receptions over the past four seasons) and Tyler Lockett (11th in receiving yards and sixth in TD receptions over the past six seasons) form a terrific one-two punch. We also figure to see more of Jaxon Smith-Njigba this season after the 2023 first-rounder posted a 63-628-4 receiving line. That's an elite trio, and Jake Bobo and Laviska Shenault Jr. provide solid depth," ESPN writes.

The receivers have been a big reason behind Geno Smith's renaissance over the past two seasons and why the Seahawks have had winning records over that period of time, though last season, the offense as a whole took a step back in large part due to injuries and inconsistency from the offensive line. Still, Metcalf eclipsed 1,000 yards for the third time in five years and Lockett narrowly missed a fifth straight year surpassing the century mark.

Adding Smith-Njigba as a first round pick last season was viewed as a luxury buy by many, but it should allow them to have a built-in replacement once Lockett, who is entering his 10th NFL season, eventually moves on.

Lockett agreed to a restructured two-year, $29,660,000 contract earlier in the offseason, but Smith-Njigba should start to see a bigger role in the offense while the veteran takes a slight step back approaching the twilight stages of his career.

Regardless of the target share between the two of them and Metcalf looks like, the Seahawks have three talented wideouts that will catch passes from Smith and make him feel comfortable slinging the ball all the way down the field.

That alone will give Seattle a chance to compete and contend for a playoff spot in the upcoming season, as long as Smith has time to get the ball to his plethora of targets.