DK Metcalf and receivers ready to shine in new scheme

“I think this offense has a lot of potential to be great,” Metcalf said during mandatory minicamp last month. “Especially with the weapons we have in our receiver room, the tight end room, the running back room and even the offensive line, the veteran leadership that we brought in this offseason. I think it has the potential to be special.”

As Metcalf mentioned, the Seahawks have a lot more firepower than just the receiver room. In addition to the duo of Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet returning in the backfield, the team invested a two-year deal in athletic receiver Noah Fant with the intention of unleashing his full potential in Grubb’s offense and also selected Michigan tight end AJ Barner as a possible Day 1 contributor.

But for Seattle to soar as expected in 2024, Metcalf, Lockett, Smith-Njigba and company will need to be the catalysts for an offense built on attacking opponents with the vertical passing game.

From a pure talent standpoint, few NFL teams have the arsenal of weapons the Seahawks will be able to deploy Sunday. And while a new offense will present some growing pains at times, the continuity of Smith returning to center and the same quartet of receivers at the top of the hierarchy should ease the transition and further amp up expectations, especially for Smith-Njigba as he enters his second season with better chemistry with the quarterback.

“Just having a full season with Geno and going into year two has allowed us to communicate better,” Smith-Njigba said. “Some guys, you can approach them, but you can’t approach them. And our communication and what he expects from me is clearer than ever. And me, being a second-year player, we had a discussion yesterday where I can use my voice and say, ‘Hey, this is what I see.’ With that, it takes time and growth and it’s been great so far. We just want to build on that and be the best we can be.”

In part three of our annual training camp preview, can Smith-Njigba and Seattle’s star-studded receiving corps live up to the hype? Here’s a deep dive into the position group, looking back at last season, exploring what’s new for 2024, an interesting statistic and the key question that needs answering.

Metcalf, who established himself as the No. 1 target in his fifth season, finished with 1,114 receiving yards — the second-highest total of his career — to go along with eight touchdowns and a career-high 16.9 yards per catch. While his numbers were down from the previous four seasons, Lockett still posted a respectable stat line with 79 receptions for 894 yards and five touchdowns, while Smith-Njigba had a strong second half to eclipse 60 receptions and 600 receiving yards as a rookie, giving Seattle as good a trio as any in the league.

The Seahawks also got unexpected contributions from undrafted rookie Jake Bobo, who came in out of training camp and finished the year with 19 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns while providing excellent blocking on the outside. That helped offset disappointing seasons from former draft picks Dee Eskridge and Dareke Young, who both missed significant time due to suspension and/or injury and finished the year with zero combined receptions and minimal impact on special teams.

With Metcalf, Lockett and Smith-Njigba back, the Seahawks didn’t need to make any major moves to round out their receiving corps, but the team did take a risk with former Colorado standout Laviska Shenault. A former second-round pick of the Jaguars, the 6-2, 220-pound Shenault had a tough two years with the Panthers but offers dynamic potential as a change-of-pace after receiving threat, can play out of the backfield with 50 career carries under his belt and has produced a strong 27.7 yards per kick return average. While opportunities will likely be limited on offense, his presence could help fill the void Eskridge was expected to fill while providing a spark with the new kickoff rules that go into effect in 2024.

In 2023, Metcalf, Lockett and Smith-Njigba became the first trio of Seattle receivers in franchise history to surpass 60 receptions, 600 receiving yards and four touchdowns in the same season.

Is Smith-Njigba ready to take over from Lockett as Seattle’s No. 2 receiver?

In eight seasons with the Seahawks, Lockett has been a model of consistency, including surpassing 1,000 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in four straight seasons from 2019-22. Even last season, while his receiving yards and touchdowns declined significantly, he still had nearly 80 receptions to lead the team. Given his route-running skills and incredibly reliable hands, he should remain a viable weapon for Smith, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he manages to surpass 70 receptions again.