Seattle Seahawks: Is Something Wrong With D.K. Metcalf?
Andrew Elderbaum
|
Are Scouts Concerns Showing Up Now?
Scouts questioned his fluidity and ability to win at the line of scrimmage and create separation coming out of college, and it seems that he’s playing to that reputation. As NFL defenses adjusted to Metcalf, we’ve seen him struggle to get open on shorter pass routes.
When opponents keep a safety back to take away the deep ball, it greatly reduces his effectiveness. Metcalf’s back-to-back weeks of frustration penalties stem from corners playing him physically at the line and holding him in check. That further adds to his struggles.
The difference between Metcalf and those other receivers I mentioned is their ability to adjust and find ways to contribute no matter what. A 50 yards-per-game average over his last seven is just not going to cut it. So the question becomes just what do the Seattle Seahawks have in Metcalf?
Is he a superstar going through a rough patch, or is he a good receiver who occasionally breaks out with a spectacular game? The evidence seems to indicate the latter and 12’s should all recalibrate our expectations.
The best comparison I could find for Metcalf was another supremely gifted athlete at the wide receiver position who also isn’t as consistent a performer as you might think. The Chiefs Tyreek Hill. Like Metcalf, Hill has some monster games with hundreds of yards. Also, like D.K., he has more games where he’s average to invisible.
Over his career, Hill typically has three or four games per season where he goes off. The rest of the season, he is mediocre at best. Is Hill a weapon? Absolutely. Is he overrated? Absolutely.