Russell Wilson says talent at WR gives Seahawks ability to ‘do something special’

RENTON — Russell Wilson isn’t doing anything to quiet the hype surrounding rookie receiver DK Metcalf.

“He’s got the talent to be a Hall of Fame-type player,” the quarterback said after the Seahawks’ second training-camp practice Friday.

“But,” Wilson quickly added, “he hasn’t played Game 1 yet. He’s got to prove it every day. How you do it is you prove it today, you prove it tomorrow, you prove it the next day and you let ’em add up. Then you look back at it and hopefully it was worth it.”

The Seahawks, certainly, hope Metcalf is worth all the anticipation, and to help steer that potential into production Metcalf met Wilson in Southern California earlier this month for extra throwing sessions together. Wilson said he and the rookie receiver were up at 5:30 a.m. to being workouts on the UCLA campus.

“I think it’s important you make sure you spend that time with certain guys and try to build those one-on-one relationships,” Wilson said. “And, obviously, DK being the guy that he is and the position he got drafted in, there’s a lot of high expectations on him — and letting him know that we’re here to do everything we can to make you the best player you can possibly be.

“The great thing is, he makes it easy on us because he wants to put the work in.”

Other Seahawks later joined them in San Diego for what has become Wilson’s annual gathering of skill players. It’s a time to work out, and a time to bond.

The relationship-building became especially important this summer with five rookies joining the Seahawks’ wide-receiver position: Metcalf (second-round pick), Gary Jennings (fourth round), John Ursua (seventh round), Jazz Ferguson (undrafted free agent) and Terry Wright (UDFA).

“There’s so many young guys — guys who are really, really bright and really talented,” Wilson said. “Obviously, DK Metcalf, it doesn’t look or get any better in terms of his talent level. He’s as smart as it gets too. He wants to learn. …

“I really believe, with the guys we have, that we can do something special. It starts with the relationships. It starts with the extra time. It starts with the off-the-field stuff, but also the time in the film room.”

Tyler Lockett is the clear go-to receiver in the post-Doug Baldwin era.

“I’m always going to start with Tyler — he does everything we expect him to do,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said Friday. “If there’s a smarter, more instinctive player (than Lockett), I don’t know who it is at that position. That’s why he produces the way he produces; that’s why he gets open the way he gets open. He’s just a special talent and certainly ready to take over that number-one role.”

Jaron Brown and David Moore are potential starters, and there’s little doubt the Seahawks will work Metcalf into the mix.

Beyond that, how the roster shakes out at the final two or three wide receiver positions will be one of the most intriguing storylines through training camp.