DK Metcalf officially requested a trade from the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, with the LA Chargers looking like the perfect destination on paper.
As perfect as the Chargers would be for Metcalf, there is no guarantee the Bolts would even be interested in pursuing a trade. There are other wideout options on the market that wouldn't require trading draft capital, including former All-Pro Davante Adams.
Chargers fans appear split on the idea of trading draft capital for Metcalf but the team may not be as split. According to FOX's Jordan Schultz, the Chargers previously tried to trade for Metcalf only to be rebuffed by the Seahawks.
DK Metcalf is expected to draw interest from multiple teams, but dating back to last offseason, the Chargers were the one team that quietly but aggressively pursued him in trade talks — only to be rebuffed by Seattle," Schultz reported on X. "The Chargers remain in the receiver market this offseason."
NFL insider all but confirms Chargers will pursue a DK Metcalf trade
If the Chargers previously pursued Metcalf then it's essentially a guarantee they will pursue him in some capacity now that he has demanded a trade. Schultz didn't outright say the Chargers have been in contact, but the previous interest confirms there will be contact.
Nothing has changed for the Chargers, so there is no reason for the team not to pursue Metcalf now that he has officially requested a trade. The need to add another top-line receiver is just as high now as it was before.
The only new variable in the equation is Adams, who was just released by the Jets this week. If the price for Adams gets too high then the Chargers may prefer signing Adams instead of trading draft capital for Metcalf.
But if the Bolts were already being aggressive in Metcalf talks then there may not be a price that is too high for the star wideout.
It is fair to assume Metcalf would cost the Chargers their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While that seems like a massive overpay to some fans, the fact is that franchise wideouts often go for picks in the 20-36 range.
Just look at the AJ Brown trade from several years ago. Brown was younger at the time, sure, but his numbers in Tennessee were comparable to Metcalf's in Seattle. Plus, Brown also needed a new contract, just like Metcalf.
The DeAndre Hopkins trade to the Arizona Cardinals netted the Texans the 40th pick and David Johnson. Houston miscalculated in thinking Johnson would be impactful, hence why they took just the 40th pick. If it was the pick alone, Houston would have gotten something in that 20-32 range.
The Chargers' second-round pick is probably too low to entice the Seahawks. There are desperate teams in the league that will offer more than the 55th pick in the draft for Metcalf's services. Los Angeles may have to get creative and pair the 55th pick with a player, but it's hard to imagine Quentin Johnston moving the needle at all for the Seahawks.
Metcalf's price will be a fluid situation and in a perfect world, the Bolts would be able to add him for a bargain. Either way, though, the Chargers are officially a team to watch.