While there’s a familiar lack of ideal depth at wide receiver, the Pittsburgh Steelers did shake the room up in a big way this offseason. Pittsburgh acquired DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks in March and traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in May. Some view Metcalf as an upgrade in terms of a WR1. However, Mike Florio wonders what the Steelers’ thought process is.
“That’s the great irony… in the Steelers paying $30 million a year to DK Metcalf,” Florio said on Pro Football Talk on Wednesday. “A guy that was never used properly by the Seahawks. The Steelers are bringing to town a guy [Metcalf] who was never used properly by his longtime team, to replace a guy [Pickens] that they didn’t know how to use properly. And it begs the question, will they know how to use DK Metcalf properly?”
During the brief period that Metcalf and Pickens were both on the roster, it never felt like a sure thing that Pittsburgh would roll into the season with them on the field together. Part of the reason for that is the similarity in their skill sets, which could cause some, like Florio, to worry about how they’ll use Metcalf, given their struggles with Pickens.
George Pickens caused some of his own problems in Pittsburgh. But the Steelers didn’t put the most talent around him, either. He dealt with some poor quarterback play during all three years in Pittsburgh. And for a good portion of that time, especially in 2024, he was the only real receiving threat. With a lack of explosiveness in the run game, poor quarterback play, and no other receiving talent to take attention away, it would be hard for any first option to thrive.
With Metcalf, some of those concerns aren’t the same. Aaron Rodgers, who’s already working with Metcalf, opens up the playbook more than any other recent Steelers quarterback. The Steelers hope the tandem of Kaleb Johnson and Jaylen Warren brings more explosiveness. And Pittsburgh added Jonnu Smith, while also finally getting a real look at Roman Wilson.
The Steelers’ offense has been a mess the last few years. That hurt Pickens, but he was just as much a part of that mess as others. Now, he gets a fresh start with the Dallas Cowboys as he heads into his contract year. Things seem to be off to a good start. With the sheer talent George Pickens has, he could break the mold and become the first disgruntled Steelers receiver to succeed elsewhere.
It’s hard to feel upset with the Steelers’ decision, though. Metcalf has a proven track record and plays extremely well when used correctly. It’s up to the Steelers to figure out how to do that.
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