RENTON, Wash. — DK Metcalf has been targeted a number of times with questions like the one coming up. I’m just not sure it has ever resulted in a completion for the media member.

It isn’t necessarily team first, individual second when it comes to his responses — it’s team first and nothing else.

So getting the Seahawks receiver to bite on a question about his personal accomplishments and what they mean to him was probably a doomed mission from the get-go. Worth a shot, though, no?

Do you ever think about your individual achievements? Maybe in terms of how other people talk about you alongside the game’s top receivers, or how they may set you up for the future?

“I think just not focusing on other people and knowing myself first. Once I know myself, and I know who I am as a person and as a player, you know, all the other accolades are going to take care of themselves,” Metcalf said. “And also helping my team, because if the team wins then everybody else under the team wins. So just taking care of the team, taking care of my brothers.”

OK, expectation set for that answer, and expectation met. But there is a reason I lobbed this one up for DK four days before he begins his sixth season in the NFL: The 26-year-old is essentially in a contract year during a time when receivers are more valued than ever.

The Vikings’ Justin Jefferson signed a four-year, $140 million extension in June with $110 million guaranteed. The Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb inked a four-year, $136 million extension in August. This isn’t quite quarterback money, but it’s trumping every other position — edge rushers included.

And now you have one of sports’ great specimens in Metcalf trying to A) get the Seahawks back to the playoffs while B) securing himself an A-list-caliber extension.

Not that he is going to say the second part out loud.

We know how the Seahawks typically do business when it comes to player extensions. If they want to keep you, they’ll offer that extension with one year remaining on the prior deal and not a minute sooner. Legends such as Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas have tried squeeze out more dollars with more than one year left on their deals, but general manager John Schneider has never budged.

In other words, given how Metcalf’s current three-year, $72 million deal runs through 2025, this is the time for him to have the season of his career. But can that happen?

The stat sheet would say that Metcalf has never replicated what he did in 2020, when he amassed 1,303 receiving yards to break Steve Largent’s season Seahawks record.

Metcalf dipped to 967 yards the following season, improved 1,048 yards in 2022 and tallied 1,114 receiving yards last year. The thing about last season, though, is that his 16.9 yards per reception was a personal best, and his 9.4 yards per target was the second-best of his career.

One could make the case that teams weren’t as wary of Metcalf in the record-breaking season he had in his second year as a pro. Then they adjusted — but last season’s numbers suggest he adjusted back.

One play that helped those yards-per-reception stats in ’23 was a 50-yard catch he had against the Ravens in November. It was pretty much irrelevant in Seattle’s 37-3 loss, but current Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald was the defensive coordinator for Baltimore at the time. And what he has seen from DK since has only increased his respect for him.

“He’s just a beast, man,” Macdonald said. “I’ve told you this, but you have to account for where he’s at at any given point. We got a couple guys like that, but DK’s definitely at the top of the list of people that can go take it to the house on any play. Whether it’s a catch and run or taking the top off the defense. Hopefully Denver has a hard time finding him on Sunday.”

Well, finding him won’t be a problem. He’s the 6-foot-4, 236-pound freak of nature who runs a sub-10.4 100-meter dash. Staying with him is where the problem could lie. Emphasis on could.

Metcalf has been relatively spotty throughout his NFL career. His 2021 and 2022 statistics didn’t challenge the best of his pass-catching peers, although playing with an injured Russell Wilson before adjusting to a new QB in Geno Smith may have played a role.

But if we’re on the topic of roles, DK’s is to be among the best receivers in football this season. His team is counting on it.

A career year could set the Seahawks up for a playoff run. And though he won’t discuss it publicly, it would likely set Metcalf up for the biggest payday of his life, too.

©2024 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.