National Football League

DK Metcalf says CB Devon Witherspoon 'will get the best of' Ja'Marr Chase

Updated Oct. 13, 2023 4:05 p.m. ET

Seattle receiver DK Metcalf has provided Cincinnati wideout Ja'Marr Chase with extra motivation going into this week's contest. Metcalf praised Chase for his historic Week 5 performance against Arizona but claimed Seahawks rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon will keep Chase in check when the two teams face off Sunday (1 p.m. ET).

"[Chase is] a great receiver," Metcalf told reporters Thursday. "Tip my hat off to him with what he [has] done the first three years in the league. It'll be fun to watch Sunday, but I think [Witherspoon] will get the best of him."

Witherspoon, a first-round pick in this year's draft, has made an immediate impact in the Seahawks' secondary this season. The 22-year-old budding star registered a 97-yard pick-6 and two sacks in Week 4 against the New York Giants.

Meanwhile, Chase is coming off a record-setting performance in Week 5 when he became the fifth player in NFL history to haul in at least 15 receptions and three touchdowns in a single game, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors as a result. Heading into Week 6, Chase ranked second in the league for receiving yards (476) and catches (22).

"[Metcalf] ain't doing nothing but just praising his teammate," Chase said to reporters when asked about Metcalf's comments. "That's what he's supposed to do. At the end of the day, it's about game time. [Witherspoon] will get the opportunity to get his match up [against me] and [we'll] see who wins that match up."

"They [are] just spicin' up the game," the two-time Pro Bowler added. "Like what I said against Cleveland, just spicin' up the game a little bit and making us have more energy coming into the game. That's all it is."

Despite Chase's playful response, former Super Bowl champion receiver Plaxico Burress believes Metcalf made a crucial mistake.

"I'm going to give [Metcalf] a little bit of advice, don't poke the bear," Burress said on Friday's episode of "The Carton Show". "Because you just put your rookie cornerback in a hot seat.

"There's already not many corners in this league that can cover [Chase] one-on-one."

"Now you're going to throw [Witherspoon] under the bus against possible the best man-to-man, route-running wide receiver in all of football?" Burress added. "Don't do that."

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