After seemingly being left at the altar last offseason by Barndon Aiyuk, the Pittsburgh Steelers made sure to take care of the wide receiver position in a significant way this offseason under GM Omar Khan.
That resulted in the Steelers swinging big in early March, trading for star receiver DK Metcalf and handing him a massive five-year, $150 million contract, breaking precedent in the process.
Though things have changed somewhat this offseason with the trade of George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, creating another hole at receiver that they didn’t have at the time of the Metcalf acquisition, the move to land Metcalf has been named the Steelers’ best move of the offseason by CBS Sports.
That’s above the likes of signing QB Aaron Rodgers, or CB Darius Slay, too, not to mention the selection of DL Derrick Harmon in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers had long been on the hunt for a star wide receiver to inject into their offense and finally found it in DK Metcalf,” CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan writes regarding the Metcalf addition as the Steelers’ best move. “The club acquired the former Seattle Seahawks star in a blockbuster trade that also featured the organization signing him to a five-year, $150 million extension to ensure he’ll be in town for the foreseeable future.
“While their long-term quarterback plan is in a state of flux with Aaron Rodgers only signed through 2025, the Steelers will have a true No. 1 option for whoever is under center in the years to come.”
It’s been a while since the Steelers have had a true No. 1 receiver among NFL players, with the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson being more of No. 2 caliber receivers moonlighting in the No. 1 role in Pittsburgh. Pickens can even be included in that. But now, with Metcalf present, the Steelers have that true No. 1 receiver that teams have to game plan against and worry about snap after snap.
He’s that big, physical receiver that can overpower defensive backs at the line of scrimmage and at the catch-point, and can also run away from defenders consistently, too.
Consistency is a big part of Metcalf’s game, too. Since entering the NFL as a second-round pick out of Ole Miss, Metcalf has eclipsed at least 900 yards receiving every year of his career, and is coming off of a 66-catch season in 2024 with the Seahawks in which he finished with 992 yards and five touchdowns.
With Aaron Rodgers in the fold at quarterback for 2025, the Steelers now have a strong QB-WR combination that could give opposing defenses fits. The Steelers are banking on Metcalf being that all-world type talent at the position.
Not only will he be a key component in 2025 with Rodgers under center, he’ll be a great piece to have to build around as the Steelers look for a long-term answer at quarterback as well.
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