D.k. Metcalf - Pro Football Rumors

West Rumors: 49ers, Metcalf, Raiders

August 23rd, 2019 at 7:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

It’s been a rough year for 49ers injuries. A few of their key players may not be ready for Week 1. It is now possible Nick Bosa and Jason Verrett will join the likes of Garrett Celek and Jerick McKinnon (in all likelihood) as being sidelined for San Francisco’s opener. During an interview with KNBR (via Pro Football Talk), John Lynch called both Bosa and Verrett 50-50 to suit up for the 49ers’ opener against the Buccaneers. Bosa is battling a high ankle sprain — his latest in a string of maladies since his junior year at Ohio State — and Verrett is also dealing with ankle trouble. The injury-prone cornerback, who tore an Achilles’ tendon in July 2018, sprained an ankle August 7.

Shifting first to some issues the Seahawks’ Week 1 contingent may have, here is the latest from the West divisions:

Two key Seahawks wide receivers may not be ready for the team’s 2019 opener. D.K. Metcalf underwent knee surgery this week and is uncertain for Week 1, while Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets David Moore will not be ready for Seattle’s 2019 debut. Moore will seek a second opinion on a shoulder injury, one Pelissero notes is not expected to require surgery. But Pete Carroll confirmed Moore (26 receptions for 445 yards and five TDs in 2018) will not suit up in Week 1. Moore and Metcalf are expected to play key roles for the post-Doug Baldwin Seahawks. They may have to supplement Tyler Lockett with lower-profile players early.
Thought to be on the wrong side of the 49ers‘ roster bubble, Jordan Matthews may be on the verge of making the team. The 49ers held the veteran receiver out of action Monday in Denver, and Kyle Shanahan confirmed he did so to get a look at his younger talents. “Jordan’s had a hell of a camp,” Shanahan said, via Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required). “He’s done very good in practice; he’s been consistent in OTAs. He’s been very consistent in training camp, and we’ve seen him a lot on tape before he got here. I’ve got a lot of confidence in Jordan, and I know we can win with Jordan.” This, of course, does not mean the 27-year-old pass catcher is a roster lock. But it does paint a picture of the 49ers potentially opting for dependability here.
Hard Knocks has chronicled rookie UDFA Keelan Doss‘ attempt to make the Raiders, and after three preseason games, Vic Tafur of The Athletic has the receiver making the team over Ryan Grant. As for the former Redskins and Colts talent, the Raiders held him out of action Thursday in Winnipeg. While that could mean Grant has secured a spot on Oakland’s 53-man roster, Tafur expects a trade to occur in the coming days rather than the team keeping seven wideouts.
The most recent Hard Knocks episode showed plenty of an irritated Jon Gruden, with the ire being primarily directed toward backup quarterbacks. But Tafur expects the Raiders to keep both Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman, pegging Gruden as viewing the former as the more reliable player and the latter with greater upside (despite his previous regular-season resume).

Seahawks Sign D.K. Metcalf

May 22nd, 2019 at 2:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have officially signed second-round pick D.K. Metcalf, according to a team announcement. Per the terms of his slot, Metcalf will earn roughly $4.6MM over the course of his four-year deal.

Metcalf has drawn national attention for his physique, but the Seahawks see him as more than just a 6’3″ mass of muscles. The Ole Miss product was widely projected to be a first-round pick this year, but the Seahawks managed to snag him at the end of the second round after a trade up with the Patriots.

Metcalf’s skill set was a hotly debated topic in the draft community, with his college production and agility numbers paling in comparison to his physique and speed-strength combination. Ultimately, he was the ninth wide receiver selected in the 2019 draft.

As a freshman, Metcalf caught 39 passes for 646 yards and seven touchdowns. All turned out to be career-best marks, with A.J. Brown having led the Rebels in receiving last season. Metcalf finished as Ole Miss’ third-leading receiver in 2018, despite appearing in only seven games.

The Seahawks now have ten of their eleven draft picks officially in the fold – only third-round linebacker Cody Barton remains unsigned.

Seahawks Trade Up For D.K. Metcalf

April 26th, 2019 at 8:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

After trading down multiple times in this draft, the Seahawks made a move up. They acquired the No. 64 overall pick from the Patriots.

Seattle moved down in both the first and second rounds. They have been the most fluid team in this draft, which featured them having an extra first-round pick because of the Frank Clark trade.

The move will result in the Seahawks ending D.K. Metcalf‘s slide. The workout phenom will be a second-round pick. Metcalf will attempt to prove what turned out to be a litany of doubters wrong in Seattle. He joins a Doug Baldwin– and Tyler Lockett-fronted receiving corps. Although, Baldwin’s status is now up in the air.

Metcalf’s skill set became a hotly debated topic, with his college production and agility numbers paling in comparison to his physique and speed-strength combination. Many mocked Metcalf as a first-rounder, but the late reports of teams doubting him turned out to be accurate. He became this year’s ninth receiver taken.

The 6-foot-3 wideout declared after his sophomore season. As a freshman, Metcalf caught 39 passes for 646 yards and seven touchdowns. All turned out to be career-best marks, with A.J. Brown having led the Rebels in receiving last season. Metcalf finished as Ole Miss’ third-leading receiver in 2018.

Draft Notes: Jones, Brown, Bills, Raiders

April 19th, 2019 at 7:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Beyond Kyler Murray‘s long-rumored Cardinals fit, landing spots for this draft’s other top quarterbacks are difficult to determine. But Daniel Jones, despite not exactly having impressive college statistics, has gained more steam as a first-round pick. One team has the Duke prospect as the top quarterback on its board, according to Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson (on Twitter). The Giants are believed to be high on him. So are the Patriots. While one scout wondered (via Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com) if the former Blue Devils signal-caller would slip to the third round had he not played under David Cutcliffe, who coached both Manning brothers when they were college passers, another scout and a former GM said (via NBC Sports Washington’s Ben Standig) they each would take Jones over Drew Lock. It certainly looks Jones will land in the first round next week.

Here is the latest from the 2019 draft talent pool:

Another first-round hopeful, Marquise Brown, also looks like a lock to hear his name called Thursday. The Oklahoma-honed speedster may be the only guaranteed wideout to go off the board in Round 1, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report notes, after speaking with NFL staffers. Said execs then place Ole Miss alums D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown as possible first-rounders, per Miller. That would stand to make the second round potentially filled with receiver investments. The 49ers have some names in mind.
On the subject of the 49ers, they visited with tight end Noah Fant recently, per Sirius XM Radio’s Alex Marvez (on Twitter). This profiles as an interesting use of a visit, with the 49ers closely connected to Nick Bosa at No. 2 and not needing a tight end. But San Francisco did do well with its past Iowa investment at this position, with George Kittle breaking out in a major way in 2018.
Despite Rashan Gary‘s past as a top-10 national recruit and his Combine performance, another report has indicated his stock has dipped a bit. After a Thursday report pointed to the Michigan defensive lineman dropping, Miller adds teams are concerned about how little his athleticism translated to production (9.5 sacks in three seasons). Additionally, Miller doubles down on the medical concerns surrounding Gary. Some scouts believe there will be issues on that front, potentially with Gary’s shoulder, which was a trouble spot during his Wolverines run.
Ed Oliver‘s stock has risen a bit in the days leading up to the draft, and the Bills are in play for the interior defender at No. 9, Miller writes, adding Buffalo wants to add a bona fide interior pass-rushing presence to complement the space-eating defensive tackles it currently employs.
The Raiders ditched their scouting staff going into the draft and are expected to overhaul the department under new GM Mike Mayock. On draft weekend, Oakland’s non-Mayock/Jon Gruden staffers involved in the three-day event will be assistant director of player personnel Trey Scott and director of football administration Tom Delaney, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Delaney has been with the Raiders dating back to the first Gruden era; Scott rose to his current position under Reggie McKenzie‘s watch two years ago.

NFL Draft Notes: Giants, Haskins, Metcalf

April 15th, 2019 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants will host Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins on a top 30 visit on Monday and Tuesday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). After the G-Men brought out the big guns for Haskins’ Pro Day, chatter is building about the Giants possibly targeting the signal caller with the No. 6 overall pick.

Fully expected to become a top-10 pick, Haskins also met with the Broncos (No. 10) and the Redskins (No. 15) last week. The Giants appear to be well in range, but teams tend to move up and reach for stud QBs. The Giants also have the firepower necessary to move up for Oklahoma star Kyler Murray, but they may prefer to spread the wealth and address other areas instead, including the pass rush.

Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz:

Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf visited the Ravens on Monday, Rapoport tweets. Metcalf could give them a much-needed shot in the arm at WR, but it’s not a given that he’ll be available when they’re called to the podium at No. 22. For now, their WR consists of new addition Seth Roberts, Willie Snead, Chris Moore, and 2018 draft picks Jordan Lasley and Jaleel Scott.
Speaking of the Ravens‘ WR need, they’ll host Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown on Monday, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). This year, the Ravens are set to pick at No. 22 overall with no picks in the second round due to last year’s Lamar Jackson trade.
More from Rapoport, who notes that Ohio State wide receiver Parris Campbell is visiting with the Bengals. Campbell is a very unlikely target for Cincinnati at No. 11 overall, but he could be a candidate for their second-round choice at No. 42. Last year, Campbell broke out with 90 catches for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary will huddle up with the Seahawks and Raiders this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.
Arizona State wide receiver will meet with the N’Keal Harry 49ers on Monday before traveling to the Seahawks, Pelissero hears. Projections for Harry are all over the board, but he appears to be a late-first to early-second round type.
Washington tackle Kaleb McGary will visit the Seahawks on Monday and the Falcons on Tuesday, Schefter hears (Twitter link). The Falcons’ No. 14 pick would probably be a bit high for McGary, who projects as a right tackle at the next level, but a trade-down scenario could bring him to Atlanta.
The Patriots have done “extra pre-draft” work on Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham and Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson, both of whom visited recently (Twitter link via Pelissero).
Versatile Oklahoma offensive lineman Cody Ford spent Friday visiting with the Bengals, who pick No. 11 (Twitter link via Rapoport). Ford was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2018 and helped Oklahoma win Joe Moore Award, given to the country’s best offensive line.

Draft Notes: Simmons, 49ers, Patriots, Jets

April 11th, 2019 at 9:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Linked to both Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason, which involved extensive talks about a deal for the latter Pro Bowl wide receiver, the 49ers are shifting their focus to draft-eligible wideouts. They have been closely tied to Nick Bosa with their No. 2 overall pick, but at No. 36, wide receivers appear to be on San Francisco’s radar. Receiver prospects N’Keal Harry and Deebo Samuel intrigue the 49ers, with Matt Miller of Bleacher Report indicating on his Stick to Football podcast (via NBC Sports Bay Area) that the team is zeroing in on one of these two — with the Arizona State product perhaps grading slightly higher than the South Carolina alum — with their second-round pick. Both players have met with the 49ers, with Samuel working with Kyle Shanahan‘s staff at the Senior Bowl. The 49ers cut Pierre Garcon this offseason and have Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis sitting as the top wideouts on the roster. That may change by Day 2 of the draft.

Here is the latest from the draft world:

Jeffery Simmons‘ pre-draft tour continues to take shape. The Mississippi State-developed defensive lineman traveled to Indianapolis for his Combine recheck, due to the ACL tear he suffered while preparing for the draft, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets positive reviews emerged regarding Simmons’ recovery. Following the Indianapolis trip, Simmons has visits with the Cardinals and Dolphins lined up, Rapoport adds. Simmons’ Browns meeting has already occurred, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Simmons, who finished with 18 tackles for loss last season, is expected to miss the 2019 season but was viewed as a surefire first-round pick prior to his knee injury.
Three pass-catching prospects visited the Patriots on Thursday. Samuel joined wideout A.J. Brown and tight end Noah Fant on the visit, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Having lost Rob Gronkowski and with Julian Edelman entering his age-33 season, the Patriots are in need of aerial weaponry aid. New England has added Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Bruce Ellington and Maurice Harris this offseason. There will certainly be more additions to Tom Brady‘s receiving corps, through the draft and/or trades.
Is D.K. Metcalf‘s stock slipping? The other Ole Miss wide receiver prospect wowed those in attendance at the Combine but never surpassed 650 yards in a season with the Rebels. While he has been mocked in the first round consistently, Albert Breer of SI.com surveyed some teams who would not use a first-round pick on the physical specimen. Metcalf ranks as the No. 19 overall prospect (and No. 2 wideout) on Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com’s big board. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN’s latest mock (Insider link) has Metcalf going to the Packers at No. 12.
While pass rusher looks like the Jets‘ biggest need, the team appears to believe cornerback resides higher in its deficiency queue than the offensive line, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes. The Jets made a bigger splash on their offensive front this offseason, in acquiring Kelechi Osemele, but did not make big bids for UFA centers. The Jets graded as Football Outsiders’ worst line, per the adjusted line yards metric, last season. New York lost Buster Skrine and has not made an effort to bring back Morris Claiborne. And buyer’s remorse may be setting in on the Jets’ Trumaine Johnson signing, pointing to Gang Green being in on corners come draft weekend.
The 49ers will host defensive end prospect Brian Burns in the coming days, the Florida State-honed prospect said during an appearance on Chris Simms Unbuttoned (via NBC Sports Bay Area) the 49ers are on his visit list. It would appear Burns, projected as a first-rounder, would be a 49ers option only if they traded out of their No. 2 overall slot.

NFL Draft Rumors: Metcalf, Bills, Bucs

April 8th, 2019 at 12:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf will take a Top 30 visit with the Bills on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Metcalf, who boasts the most impressive physical tools of any wide receiver in this year’s class, could be an option for Buffalo with the No. 9 overall pick.

Some have knocked Metcalf for his lack of natural catching ability, but he had no trouble reeling in the ball in 2017 when he averaged 16.6 yards per catch and scored seven touchdowns for Ole Miss. There’s also some concern about Metcalf’s health, but he was cleared for all football activities in January following his October neck surgery.

Here’s a look at the latest NFL Draft buzz:

Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will visit the Buccaneers on Monday, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter). The Bucs could use another wide receiver after losing DeSean Jackson and Adam Humphries, but it’s not clear whether they’d be willing to use the No. 5 overall pick at that position.
Iowa tight end Noah Fant will visit with the Lions on Monday, Rapoport reports. Fant registered 518 receiving yards and a team-high seven touchdowns in his final campaign with the Hawkeyes. The Lions could use a player like Fant after Levine Toilolo, Luke Willson, and Michael Roberts underwhelmed last year. Recently, the Lions strengthened the TE group by adding Jesse James, but there’s still room for improvement.
Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker will get together with the Steelers, per RapSheet. Last year, Baker captured the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back. But, at 5’11 and 193 pounds, Baker doesn’t offer ideal size for the position.
Washington tackle Kaleb McGary will visit with the Patriots on Monday and the Packers on Tuesday, Rapoport hears. There has been some speculation that McGary could be employed as a guard at the pro level.
The Giants are hosting Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell and Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, Rapoport hears. The Giants are armed with picks at No. 6 and 17, though one of those selections may be spent on drafting Eli Manning‘s successor.
Charlotte guard Nate Davis will take a Top 30 visit with the Bills, Rapoport hears.

AFC Notes: Colts, Funchess, Mathis, Texans, Mills, Bills, Ravens

March 30th, 2019 at 6:13pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Colts made it very clear they were looking for a number two receiver this offseason. Ever since the season ended with a loss to the Chiefs in the second round of the playoffs, the front office and coaching staff had emphasized the need for a consistent second option behind T.Y. Hilton. The Colts mostly rotated lesser-known role players like Ryan Grant and Chester Rogers as their number two last season, and needed to upgrade. When free agency opened they went out and got their guy, signing Devin Funchess to a one-year deal worth up to $13MM.

Speaking to the media from the owners meetings this week, Colts coach Frank Reich revealed he banged the table for Funchess. When GM Chris Ballard first approached Reich about signing Funchess, Reich said he was immediately all-in, according to Zak Keefer of The Indianapolis Star. “I was like, ‘Please, let’s get this guy.’ That was the guy we really wanted to get,” Reich explained. Funchess was up and down during his time with the Panthers, but has always been high on talent. Funchess will provide the Colts’ receiving corp with the big bodied receiver they were lacking opposite the smaller Hilton, and will be a nice weapon for Andrew Luck in 2019. The Colts are clearly confident in his ability to improve his consistency, and Reich seems genuinely excited about the addition.

Here’s more from the AFC:

Speaking of the Colts, Indianapolis is making a notable change to their coaching staff. Robert Mathis will no longer be a full-time coach, according to Keefer. The Colts’ legend had served as an assistant coach helping out with the team’s pass-rushers the past two seasons. Mathis will now transition into a role as a consultant, giving him more time to develop his private training business. Mathis spent 14 years in the NFL, all with the Colts, and racked up 123 sacks. He’s also the league’s all-time leader in forced fumbles.
The Texans recently signed Matt Kalil, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily done adding offensive tackles. The team hosted former Bills tackle Jordan Mills on a visit before signing Kalil, but they’re apparently still interested in adding Mills, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Wilson writes that Houston has “remained in contact with Mills” and that he’s “still a candidate to potentially join the team.” Offensive line was the team’s main weakness last year, and it looks like they’re trying to add as many pieces as possible. Mills started all 16 games for Buffalo in each of the last three seasons, but graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 70th-best tackle last season.
The Bills and Ravens are two teams that could desperately use receiver help, that much isn’t really a secret. Both teams have young quarterbacks in Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, and they both need to upgrade their receiving corp. They’re both likely to draft a wideout early next month, and they’re each showing interest in one of the top receivers available in the upcoming draft. Buffalo and Baltimore will both meet with Ole Miss receiver D.K. Metcalf ahead of the draft, James Palmer of NFL Network hears (Twitter link). Metcalf blew up the combine with freakish athletic testing, and should go sometime in the first round.

Jason La Canfora On Brown, Steelers, Eagles

March 4th, 2019 at 6:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in two years, but Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com gets the sense than an extension will be struck before its expiration, which would mean no strike or lockout. One high-ranking league source tells JLC that a deal could even be reached prior to the start of the 2020 season, though an NFLPA source cautioned that things are still in their infancy.

Here’s more from JLC:

The Raiders and Eagles are the team’s to keep an eye on in the sweepstakes for Steelers star Antonio Brown, JLC hears. The Titans, he says, have nothing going on with the Steelers right now and the Redskins’ front office is divided on AB, even as owner Dan Snyder pushes for a deal. The Saints and Seahawks also discussed AB internally, but don’t appear to be moving forward with the pursuit.
Talent evaluators tell JLC that they are iffy on the talent of this year’s wide receiver class. “You might as well trade for AB or OBJ, because this is a bad draft for receivers,” one exec said. “I don’t care who ran what, this is not a good group.” JLC asked that particular exec about extraordinary athlete D.K. Metcalf as well, but he was not impressed by his fluidity or natural catching ability.

Latest On Ole Miss WR D.K. Metcalf

January 25th, 2019 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf has been cleared for all football activity with no limitations, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The projected first-round pick underwent neck surgery last October, but it sounds like his issue will not hinder his draft stock.

Already, Metcalf has begun training for the draft combine and he will participate in all activities once he arrives in Indianapolis. There may be some rust to shake off, but he has roughly one month before things get underway on Feb. 26.

Metcalf’s true freshman season ended after just two games thanks to a broken foot, but he returned in 2017 to average 16.6 yards per catch and score seven touchdowns. In 2018, he was averaging 21.9 yards per grab and notched five TDs in seven games before he was shut down for the season. His injury history will be a concern, but he’s still expected to be among this year’s top draft prospects.

“He’s raw, but there’s a lot of upside because he’s so big and talented,” an NFL scout told Yahoo Sports last year. “He’ll probably go in the second round because he’s so talented. He’s going to kill workouts, and he’s a good kid and football is important to him. I’d be shocked if the health checks out if he lasts past the second round.”