In a massive trade, the Steelers are acquiring wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seahawks.
Pittsburgh is parting with their 2025 second-round pick, and signing Metcalf to a five-year, $150 million contract, according to multiple reports. The teams are also flipping sixth- and seventh-round picks as part of the trade. The Steelers parted with their sixth-round pick when they acquired Justin Fields from the Bears last offseason.
Initial reports have the new contract as a four-year, $132-million extension on top of his $18 million salary in 2025, which the Steelers are absorbing in the trade. With that $18 million against the cap, the team has approximately $45 million of space with free agency starting Monday. The team can still create much more room through cuts and restructures.
Metcalf was one of the most attractive options in the wide receiver market. Metcalf requested a trade and the Seahawks were willing to explore it. Metcalf had one year remaining on his three-year, $72-million contract, but any acquiring team was expected to sign him to a new contract.
Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler and former second-team All-Pro, is still a very productive receiver and just turned 27 years old. Last season, Metcalf caught 66 passes for 992 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games, a very similar pace to the 1,114 yards he had in 2023. He missed two games due to a knee injury in 2024.
Bottom line, few in the game produce the way Metcalf has, regardless of circumstance. In six seasons, Metcalf has never had less than 900 receiving yards. The Steelers need that kind of production, and pairing him with George Pickens gives the Steelers two outstanding weapons on the outside.
There's no indication that acquiring Metcalf means the team is dead set on trading Pickens prior to the 2025 season. That situation, as everything else during this time of year, can change at any moment. However, it certainly casts a dark cloud over any chance Pickens gets a second contract with the team. The contract the Steelers are giving Metcalf is the largest to any non-quarterback in franchise history.
Needless to say, this is a titanic move by Omar Khan to upgrade the receiver room. The position was desperately void of impact talent last season, and that was never more apparent than when Pickens missed multiple games with a hamstring injury in December.
What makes this even better for the Steelers is they made this kind of a move before locking up a quarterback. The team still wants to bring back Justin Fields. But, in case he moves on, Metcalf does have a well-documented history with Russell Wilson, who's repeatedly expressed interest in returning to the Steelers.
Free agency's "legal tampering" window opens Monday at 12 p.m., which is when teams can negotiate with any unrestricted free agent on the market.
THE ASYLUM
Steelers go really big, trade for Metcalf
In a massive trade, the Steelers are acquiring wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seahawks.
Pittsburgh is parting with their 2025 second-round pick, and signing Metcalf to a five-year, $150 million contract, according to multiple reports. The teams are also flipping sixth- and seventh-round picks as part of the trade. The Steelers parted with their sixth-round pick when they acquired Justin Fields from the Bears last offseason.
Initial reports have the new contract as a four-year, $132-million extension on top of his $18 million salary in 2025, which the Steelers are absorbing in the trade. With that $18 million against the cap, the team has approximately $45 million of space with free agency starting Monday. The team can still create much more room through cuts and restructures.
Metcalf was one of the most attractive options in the wide receiver market. Metcalf requested a trade and the Seahawks were willing to explore it. Metcalf had one year remaining on his three-year, $72-million contract, but any acquiring team was expected to sign him to a new contract.
Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler and former second-team All-Pro, is still a very productive receiver and just turned 27 years old. Last season, Metcalf caught 66 passes for 992 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games, a very similar pace to the 1,114 yards he had in 2023. He missed two games due to a knee injury in 2024.
Bottom line, few in the game produce the way Metcalf has, regardless of circumstance. In six seasons, Metcalf has never had less than 900 receiving yards. The Steelers need that kind of production, and pairing him with George Pickens gives the Steelers two outstanding weapons on the outside.
There's no indication that acquiring Metcalf means the team is dead set on trading Pickens prior to the 2025 season. That situation, as everything else during this time of year, can change at any moment. However, it certainly casts a dark cloud over any chance Pickens gets a second contract with the team. The contract the Steelers are giving Metcalf is the largest to any non-quarterback in franchise history.
Needless to say, this is a titanic move by Omar Khan to upgrade the receiver room. The position was desperately void of impact talent last season, and that was never more apparent than when Pickens missed multiple games with a hamstring injury in December.
What makes this even better for the Steelers is they made this kind of a move before locking up a quarterback. The team still wants to bring back Justin Fields. But, in case he moves on, Metcalf does have a well-documented history with Russell Wilson, who's repeatedly expressed interest in returning to the Steelers.
Free agency's "legal tampering" window opens Monday at 12 p.m., which is when teams can negotiate with any unrestricted free agent on the market.
Buckle up, everyone. We're just getting started.
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