The Seattle Seahawks traded disgruntled wide receiver DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason. Metcalf was displeased with the state of his contract. After arriving in Pittsburgh, he quickly signed a five-year extension worth $150 million.

Metcalf had begun losing influence in Seattle last season. He was no longer operating as the WR1. That responsibility fell at the feet of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who led the Seahawks in receptions (100), receiving yards (1,130), and touchdowns (six) in 2024.

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There are obviously elements of Metcalf’s skill set the Seahawks will miss in 2025. Metcalf’s penchant for creating explosive plays is a big one. The former Ole Miss standout led the Seahawks (minimum qualifiers) in yards per catch last year, having averaged an explosive 15.0 yards per reception.

Pro Football Focus recently released data of the highest-graded wide receivers by target depth. The data identifies standouts at the short, intermediate and deep ranges. Metcalf was one of the highest-graded receivers in the NFL last season on deep (20-plus yards) targets.

“Metcalf edged Pickens with 32 deep targets, tied for the league lead, and rivaled his production as he steps in to replace him in Pittsburgh this season,” Lauren Gray wrote. “Metcalf caught 16 of his deep targets for 489 yards and five touchdowns, all ranking top-five at the position. He secured six of 14 contested targets and averaged 5.4 yards after the catch per reception while posting a 109.4 passer rating when targeted. Deep receptions accounted for 49.2% of his 992 total receiving yards in 2024, and all five of his touchdowns came on deep passes.”

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Metcalf’s 99.9 grade on deep plays was essentially perfect. By comparison, Smith-Njigba scored a 97.5 (still elite), recording eight receptions on 19 targets for 217 yards and two touchdowns. The Seahawks will need JSN, Cooper Kupp, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to replace Metcalf’s deep-ball production.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: PFF data proves Seahawks must replace DK Metcalf’s explosive plays