DK Metcalf was a very good receiver for the Seattle Seahawks for six years. He was the kind of player that opposing defenses had to account for, or he could consistently beat defenders deep. In fact, he is the kind of receiver that Seattle lacks currently.
But one thing Metcalf wasn't was a great route-runner. He often rounded his routes instead of cutting crisply on crossing patterns, and that led to a few interceptions for his quarterbacks. The defender could undercut the route, which was inexcusable for how physical Metcalf could be.
That might imply that while the receiver worked out catching passes, he didn't necessarily work diligently on running his routes better. Had he done so, he might have been one of the more productive wideouts in the NFL. To hear Aaron Rodgers tell it, however, Metcalf studies his trade with aggressiveness.
Aaron Rodgers has high praise for former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf ahead of Week 2
Speaking to reporters ahead of Week 2, when the Seattle Seahawks travel to Pittsburgh to play Rodgers, Metcalf, and the Steelers, the quarterback said, "He’s about the right stuff. He cares about it enough to watch the film and put in the time and take notes and ask questions and come over and sit next to me during the week...that’s unfortunately not the standard around the league."
Of course, Rodgers, being the snarky type, might have been trying to throw shade at one of his former New York Jets teammates, Garrett Wilson. One can expect the quarterback to take the low road even when there is no road to take. He also thinks himself quite smart.
But his opinion about DK Metcalf isn't completely correct. The receiver does care about football, or there is no real explanation for his getting overheated and having so many needless 15-yard penalties for things such as unsportsmanlike conduct called on him.
But does he really ply his trade better than most other professional receivers? Unlikely. Former Seahawks wide receiver Bryan Walters called Metcalf "overrated" because of his eye for detail on how to run routes better, specifically.
Of course, none of that might matter in Week 2 because DK Metcalf might choose to be extra-motivated to play the Seattle Seahawks for no real reason. He was the one who wanted out, and Seattle granted him that request. If anything, Seattle is the one who should feel miffed.
One thing to watch during the game is how much Metcalf talks trash with the Seahawks' defenders. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon certainly will not be one to back down from such bullying. Maybe Witherspoon can even bait Metcalf into getting another 15-yard penalty.