# Brendon Nelson: Nelson argues the Seahawks decisively won the D.K. Metcalf trade, hints Metcalf's Pittsburgh tenure could end soon, and claims Jaxon Smith-Njigba may now be the best receiver in football.

**Claimed:** Sep 21, 2026
**Pundit:** Brendon Nelson — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/brendon-nelson
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi/seahawks-continue-win-d-k-metcalf-trade-big-way

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in.

> Jaxon Smith-Njigba has become perhaps the #1 receiver in all of football, and all the other wideouts on the team combined cost about as much as Metcalf.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **DK Metcalf to move — “could very well end sooner rather than later”**
  - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: DK Metcalf
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- DK Metcalf — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/dk-metcalf

## What others said about the same people

- Noah Strackbein on DK Metcalf: Strackbein predicts the Steelers will keep six wide receivers on the 53-man roster: DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, Germie Bernard, Ben Skowronek and Kaden Wetjen. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1552915f-2239-4d0e-afaa-a991d5963946 (scored 100)
- Rich Eisen on DK Metcalf: Eisen delivered their "power rankings" of the best landing spots for free agent Davante Adams, topping the list with the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, and they also stated that Seattle will grant DK Metcalf's trade request. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5b15f0e1-64c1-46cf-843b-0455126a3f86 (scored 100)
- Dan Pizzuta on DK Metcalf: Pizzuta offers bold 2022 predictions: Trey Lance finishes top-10 in EPA per dropback, DK Metcalf lands top-10 in receiving yards, the Giants finish with the league's worst record, Maxx Crosby leads the NFL in sacks, Desmond Ridder outplays and starts more games than Kenny Pickett, the Panthers grab a wild card, Justin Herbert wins MVP, and the Chiefs beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5cef782a-2154-448a-a0af-3762cb3f5d2e (scored 58.33)
- Chris Simms on DK Metcalf: Picked every Week 10 game with a projected score, including the Patriots bouncing back in Munich, the Packers edging the Vikings, the Jaguars routing the Titans and the Bengals winning a shootout with the Steelers. Also called the Giants to win the NFC East, named Jackson Dart as the Giants' quarterback going forward, and predicted DK Metcalf is in a final season in Pittsburgh. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c75c9c0a-9fed-42f3-bd58-3afae1afa8e0 (not settled)
- Noah Strackbein on DK Metcalf: Strackbein reports the Steelers' receiver situation ahead of Week 6 and predicts Germie Bernard and DK Metcalf start against Tampa Bay, with practice squad receiver Brandon Smith likely to be signed to the 53-man roster if Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. are out long-term. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/bdb63644-062f-4135-a397-8fba8612d7c3 (not settled)
- Jack Markowski on DK Metcalf: Markowski expects DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson to remain Pittsburgh's top two receiving options while Michael Pittman Jr. is sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ee895673-8365-4d20-8659-e8ad0354580b (not settled)

## More trade and signing calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0)
- Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d0fd408a-7dcd-4e50-ac62-6b4510a8a800 (scored 100)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fda03952-2ea6-4919-8114-0ebb127478d1 (scored 100)
- Patricia Traina on J.J. McCarthy: Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b638ed13-01ca-4ea6-9384-ec7130f912c1 (scored 100)
- Michael David Smith on Keenan Allen: Smith suggests the Colts are likely to grant Josh Downs' trade request given their contract situation and their recent sell-off, and that they could also try to trade Keenan Allen. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/52d7108f-f754-44e8-9bf3-cc3336b4e5f7 (scored 100)

---

Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=brendon-nelson