Just minutes after the Seahawks released Tyler Lockett on Wednesday morning, a bombshell broke involving another receiver, as it was learned that DK Metcalf had requested a trade and was granted permission to pursue one.

An NFL source confirmed to The Seattle Times that Metcalf requested a trade. The request came over the last week or so after contract talks, and it was revealed Wednesday.

Metcalf is entering the final season of a three-year, $72 million contract he signed in July 2022, and the two sides have discussed a new deal. Seattle has routinely signed core players to extensions before they play the final season of their contracts.

Metcalf’s salary-cap hit of $31.875 million for 2025 is the highest among NFL receivers after moves in recent days, including the Jets’ release of Davante Adams. The Seahawks have hoped to get a new deal done with Metcalf to assure his future and create cap space.

ESPN, which was among those first to report the news, stated that Metcalf’s request came after “a series of conversations over the past two weeks” and that Metcalf “prefers a contender.”

The news was revealed shortly after the Seahawks released Lockett — which they had waited to do on a day they hoped could be a celebration of his decadelong Seahawks career. It was said to have not been received well among some within the organization.

Metcalf does not have a no-trade clause, unlike quarterback Russell Wilson did when he was dealt to Denver in 2022, and the Seahawks were not expected to rush into a deal with Metcalf under contract for the 2025 season.

As of Wednesday morning nothing was imminent, a source said. And it’s possible the Seahawks and Metcalf could still work out an extension — or that the team keeps Metcalf and he plays out the final year of his contract. As of Wednesday, all options appeared to be on the table.

However, this is the time of year when things move quickly, as the NFL free-agent negotiating period beginning Monday and the new league year beginning Wednesday.

The news comes as Seattle is also in negotiations on a contract extension for quarterback Geno Smith, who like Metcalf has one year remaining on his deal. It’s unclear how talks with Smith could be impacted by the news of Metcalf’s trade request, which also opens the possibility that the team could have a vastly remade receiving corps in 2025.

With Lockett released and Metcalf potentially gone, third-year player Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be the only receiver left with regular starting experience.

Smith-Njigba posted “ayooo wtf” on X shortly after the Metcalf news was revealed.

Metcalf does not live in Seattle during the offseason, in recent years having typically spent his time in the Los Angeles area. Indications are that the Seahawks were not aware of any discontent from Metcalf until the talks in recent days.

Metcalf is due to make $18,000,471 in 2025, with none of it guaranteed. Seattle would save $10.875 million in cap space with a trade. Metcalf’s per-year average of $24 million is the 13th-highest of receivers entering 2025.

He is represented by Tory Dandy of Creative Artist Agency, who also worked out Metcalf’s previous contract.

Being allowed to pursue a trade means Metcalf can talk with other teams and try to hammer out a contract before a trade. But the Seahawks also must agree to a trade to make it work.

Metcalf’s uncertain contract situation had led to much conjecture over the past few weeks about his future, including some rumors of possible trades.

Wednesday, though, marked a change in the tenor of the story with the trade request.

Sources had said last week that the team had not been actively shopping Metcalf but added that because of his contract situation, teams were calling and general manager and president of football operations John Schneider would have no choice but to listen.

Schneider was asked at last week’s NFL scouting combing “where things stand” with Metcalf.

“Where do things stand?” Schneider responded a little bit incredulously. “I’m not sure. He’s on our team. He’s a big, strong, fast, physical receiver.”

The news comes amid an eventful offseason for NFL receivers.

Rams standout Cooper Kupp revealed that LA plans to trade him, the Jets released Adams on Tuesday, the 49ers traded Deebo Samuel to Washington last week for a fifth-round draft pick, and it’s been reported teams have called the 49ers about the availability of Brandon Aiyuk.

However, Metcalf may also be hoping to take advantage of what is regarded as a weak year for receivers both in free agency and the draft, which would mean the Seahawks could receive better offers than in other years.

Speculation about possible trade suitors for Metcalf is sure to include the Las Vegas Raiders, who in January hired former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, for whom Metcalf played for five seasons.

Another team that was immediately mentioned was the Chargers, whose receivers coach is Sanjay Lal, who had two different stints with the Seahawks and became close to Metcalf. Rumors last week also stated that the Seahawks and Green Bay had been in talks. However, one source indicated the sides had not had any trade discussions involving Metcalf.

Metcalf, 27, just completed his sixth season with the Seahawks after arriving as a second-round pick in 2019. He ranks fourth on the team’s all-time TD receiving list with 48 and last year joined Hall of Famer Randy Moss as the only players in NFL history with 50 receptions, 900 yards and five touchdowns in each of their first six seasons. 

In his last news conference of the 2024 season, a few days before a 30-25 win over the Rams, Metcalf spoke optimistically of the team’s future under first-year coach Mike Macdonald.

“I think just the way we fought through adversity is something to build on for next season,” Metcalf said before a win that gave Seattle a 10-7 record, the best of any team that did not make the postseason. “You know, this was a lot of our first years together, and everything we can just build on for next year and come back stronger, fix our mistakes and just be better for next year.”

But the day after the win over the Rams, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was fired, which meant Metcalf would be learning a third offense in three years.

Klint Kubiak was hired in January to take over for Grubb. And though Kubiak was hired in part with the hope he will revive a lagging rushing attack, he and Macdonald also both spoke optimistically of how his scheme could get Metcalf more involved after a season in which he had 66 receptions for 992 yards and five touchdowns.

“I’ll tell you this, every candidate had how we’re going to use DK definitely at the top of their mind,” Macdonald said last month. “It’s great to hear different visions throughout the league of how guys saw him. I think Klint has probably the best vision out of all those guys. But, we have to go through the process of how you do it. It’s how you can move him around, how you can take care of matchups, the route tree that’s available on how we want to build it. So the track record’s there. Just like what they did in Minnesota with Justin Jefferson as a rookie, Chris Olave [in New Orleans] last year. All of these premier wideouts, in this system, especially under Klint, has really come to life.”

Macdonald defended Metcalf’s production in 2024 when asked about him at last week’s scouting combine, noting he was among the league leaders in targets before suffering a sprained knee in Week 7 at Atlanta. Metcalf had three consecutive 100-yard games early in the season, setting a team record.

“We want to get the ball to DK,” Macdonald said. “We want to make sure that he’s a focal point in our offense, for sure.”

But as of Wednesday, the question is whether Metcalf will even be a Seahawk by next week.