Star NFL wide receivers are having a very good year. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf became the latest downfield target to break the bank Thursday when he agreed to a three-year, $72 million contract that includes $58.2 million guaranteed with a $30 million signing bonus, according to a league source.
The deal was negotiated by Tory Dandy of Creative Artists Agency and Seahawks general manager John Schneider. Dandy is also working on a potentially huge deal for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
DK Metcalf cashes in as Seahawks reward his productivity
Metcalf had been attending practices but not participating due to his previously unresolved contract situation. Now, the deal has been hammered out.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll emphasized that this was a priority, telling reporters, “We’re working. I don’t have any update for you, but we’re working. There’s a lot of work being done right now.”
Metcalf earned the deal with his production and dynamic play. One of the most physically imposing wide receivers in the NFL, he’s been selected to one Pro Bowl. He has 216 career receptions for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns.
This deal, which will allow the former second-round draft pick from Mississippi to potentially cash in again within his prime NFL years, follows the trend of big wide receiver deals.
From the Las Vegas Raiders and Davante Adams to the Miami Dolphins and Tyreek Hill, the Los Angeles Rams and Cooper Kupp to the Philadelphia Eagles and A.J. Brown, and the Washington Commanders and Terry McLaurin, this is the year of the wide receiver payday.
It has become a premium position defined by elite performances and contracts.
Metcalf, 24, healthy again after having foot surgery to address a broken bone, is the latest to cash in, and he won’t be the last.
Deebo Samuel is up next
Samuel is up next, with league sources emphasizing they expect the 49ers to get a blockbuster deal done with him with plenty of optimism surrounding those ongoing negotiations.
The 49ers have had Samuel not practice while they work on his contract.
“We all know there’s a lot going on with Deebo right now,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “We’ll see what happens. I just had a great conversation with Deebo, so regardless of what happens, he’s going to go out there and condition on the side. We’ll see where he’s at. Hopefully, we can figure something out soon. But we’re in a good place for today.”
“We’re focused on getting something done,” 49ers general manager John Lynch explained. “Deadlines — and there’s not a hard deadline — but deadlines have a way of spurring these things into action. And that’s like I said, we’ve had a number of productive talks.”