Early in the offseason, speaking with reporters at the Annual League Meeting, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was asked about the future of receiver DK Metcalf and replied, "There's no way I could imagine playing without him."

A month later during the NFL Draft, Carroll called signing Metcalf to a contract extension "really important for us… We don't plan on him going anywhere else; we want him to be with us."

And with training camp kicking off this week, the Seahawks made sure that the talented receiver will indeed be with them for years to come, signing Metcalf to a multi-year contract extension. Metcalf, a second-round pick in the 2019 draft, was heading into the final year of his rookie contract, making him eligible for an extension, something the Seahawks have always tried to get done with their top players heading into their fourth season.

"This means a lot to me, for my future, my family's future, my future with the Seahawks," Metcalf said after signing. "It just means a lot, and it's a blessing to get it done and behind me. I'm excited to go back to practice and rejoin the team fully.

"To see all my hard work and dedication pay off, it's big thanks to my parents, and all my coaches and teachers who put up with me throughout high school and college. It just means a lot, because this is their hard work too of raising me and putting up with me."

As Metcalf signed, he shared the moment with his parents via FaceTime, making sure they knew they were a big part of his success.

"They've seen me grow up, so to have them witness this moment just means a lot to me," he said.

While contract negotiations took time, with Metcalf electing to miss Seattle's June minicamp and also watch the first two days of practice from the sideline, things stayed amicable throughout, with Carroll referring to the young receiver as, "a remarkable person and he's a wonderful player" even as Metcalf stayed away from a mandatory minicamp.

For his part, Metcalf said as far back as the end of the 2021 season that a deal, "is going to get done… I know everything's going to turn out just fine."

Later in the offseason, Metcalf said in an interview with Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, "We're going to get something done. I think I'm going to be in Seattle for the next coming years."

At only 24, Metcalf should only get better as his career progresses, but even if there's room to grow, he has been very impressive during his first three seasons.

After catching 58 passes for 900 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, Metcalf went on to set a franchise postseason record with 160 yards and a touchdown in a playoff win over the Eagles. In 2020, Metcalf broke Steve Largent's single-season franchise record with 1,303 yards and also had 83 catches and 10 scores, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. Then in 2021, Metcalf had 75 catches for 967 yards and a career-best 12 touchdowns.

With 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns, Metcalf is one of eight receivers in NFL history to eclipse 3,000 yards with at least 29 scores through his first three seasons, a list that includes Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Randy Moss and Bob Hayes, as well as Odell Beckham Jr., A.J. Green, John Jefferson and Harlon Hill.

Metcalf's yardage total is the highest through three seasons in Seahawks history, and his 29 receiving touchdowns are the second most through three seasons behind Daryl Turner's 30 from 1984-1986.

Extending Metcalf also means the Seahawks will keep together one of the best receiver duos in the NFL, with Tyler Lockett signing a four-year extension last year. In 2020, Metcalf and Lockett became just the second pass-catching duo in team history to eclipse 1,000 yards in the same season, joining Joey Galloway and Brian Blades, who did it in 1995, and Lockett is coming off a third straight 1,000-yard season, a feat previously only accomplished by Steve Largent in team history.