The Pittsburgh Steelers certainly made some big-time moves at the wide receiver position this offseason. First, they traded for then-Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf. At that point, it appeared the Steelers had made a massive upgrade at the position. Then, they traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys last week.
So are the Steelers any better off at the wide receiver position than they were last year? Everyone can agree, even Steelers general manager Omar Khan, that the room needed an overhaul. But has Khan done enough?
“I think the one big difference is you do have DK Metcalf instead of George Pickens,” said insider Ray Fittipaldo on Monday’s episode of the North Shore Drive Podcast. “I think it’s a lot easier to build your offense around a guy who you know is a professional and you know who is going to run his routes the proper way. It’s much easier on the coaches and on the players, I think, when you have a true pro like Metcalf.”
When it comes to Metcalf versus Pickens, it’s not really a discussion about pure football talent. Despite the offensive ineptitude in Pittsburgh during Pickens’ three seasons with the team, he’s averaged 16.3 yards per catch with 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Metcalf has a much longer resume with six seasons in Seattle. He’s averaged 14.4 yards per catch with 6,324 yards and 48 receiving touchdowns. But Metcalf averages twice as many touchdowns per season as Pickens (8 to 4). Maybe that’s because the Seahawks have been more stable offensively.
However, there are no questions about DK Metcalf’s effort during his NFL career. Even though he reportedly wanted out of Seattle previously, he never let his desire to leave affect his play on the field.
Meanwhile, George Pickens had issues both on and off the field in Pittsburgh. The most notable issue was his failure to block on a goal-line run by RB Jaylen Warren against the Indianapolis Colts in 2023. And per insider Mark Kaboly, some of the veteran leaders on the team were sick of Pickens.
All the talent in the world won’t save a player if they’re not doing the right things on the field or in the locker room. Going from George Pickens to DK Metcalf alone means the Steelers have upgraded their wide receiver room. Regardless of who is playing quarterback, the Steelers are better off with a talented wide receiver who gives full effort every play and executes the game plan.
That doesn’t mean the work should be done, though. Fittipaldo doesn’t think that going from Allen Robinson III and Van Jefferson to Robert Woods is a meaningful upgrade. But he does expect movement to happen if and when QB Aaron Rodgers signs with the Steelers.
“I totally expect them to be in the market for one of the receivers, the free-agent receivers who are still on the market,” Fittipaldo said.
Could that be Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper or Gabe Davis? Only time will tell. But CBSSports.com ranks the Steelers among the five best fits for Davis. If he’s fully healthy, he could be a part of a big-play duo with Metcalf. The Steelers have been on the receiving end of that before. Davis did torch the Steelers for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including a 97-yarder, back in 2022.
DK Metcalf and Gabe Davis (or Allen or Cooper) would be an upgrade over George Pickens and Van Jefferson. But for now, Ray Fittipaldo thinks the Steelers have already upgraded the wide receiver room, if only slightly.
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