The Seattle Seahawks may be some way off seriously contending for Super Bowls, but they go into the 2023 season with one of the best wide receiver groups in the NFL.
In DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba , though the latter had an underwhelming rookie season , the Seahawks possess immense talent at wideout.
But with Lockett coming off a season in which he failed to top 1,000 yards for the first time since the 2018 campaign, there is an increasing likelihood the Seahawks will move on from him next offseason. They would save $17 million against the cap by doing so, albeit with a $13.8 million dead cap charge.
Even if the Seahawks do part with Lockett, ESPN's Matt Miller has a way for Seattle to ensure its receiving corps remains among the best in the NFL.
Miller recently published a very early 2025 mock draft, in which he has them selecting Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the 11th overall pick.
Miller wrote:
Seattle has one of the NFL's best receiving corps, but it's also a unit poised for a breakup. Tyler Lockett -- who is entering his age-32 season -- and DK Metcalf both have potential outs in their contracts after this coming season. Yes, second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba will factor into the Seahawks' future plans, but adding a true No. 1 receiver with size is a sneaky need. McMillan is massive at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, and his catch radius seems unlimited. He grabbed 90 passes for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and is poised for another huge year with quarterback Noah Fifita returning.
Metcalf, though the Seahawks would gain $22 million in cap relief by cutting him in 2025, seems less likely depart given he is still in his prime years. Still, with McMillan joining Smith-Njigba in the receiving corps, Seattle would be excellently set up for the future at the position.
McMillan has emerged as an early favorite of draft Twitter in relation to the 2025 cycle after racking up 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns in his second season with the Wildcats, one in which he displayed excellent fluidity and quickness to go with his size and ability at the catch point.
As Miller alluded to, what McMillan can do at the catch point would provide the Seahawks with a skill set they do not currently have on the roster. Despite his frame, Metcalf only hauled in nine of his 31 contested targets last season, per Pro Football Focus. He has not been a ball-dominant receiver, but McMillan could provide them with one.
The mix of two extremely intimidating physical presences in Metcalf and McMillan and a gifted route-runner with super ball-tracking skills in Smith-Njigba in the slot is one that could make the Seahawks' passing game one of the most feared in the league.
It earning that kind of status would also be contingent on other factors such as quarterback play and the performance of the offensive line. While the Seahawks would surely like to be picking higher than 11th next year, they would also almost certainly jump at the chance to add an imposing and dynamic weapon with the upside to keep their aerial attack thriving for years to come.
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