Last year, just before the legal tampering period opened, the Steelers made a major move, trading a second-round pick to Seattle in exchange for DK Metcalf. They proceeded to hand him a massive contract extension.
The Steelers did something similar this year, although it wasn’t as expensive on either front. This time, they waited for the tampering period to open, then traded for Michael Pittman Jr. from Indianapolis for a late-round pick swap. Pittsburgh signed Pittman to his own extension, as well.
On paper, the Steelers now have a massive upgrade in their WR2 role. But to ESPN’s Evan Cohen, adding Pittman could be a sign that Metcalf himself needs to step up, with more talent now in the building.
“I loved what the Pittsburgh Steelers did. Pittman is one of these guys that just gets the job done. Doesn’t say a word. He feels Pittsburgh,” Cohen said Tuesday on his Unsportsmanlike show. “And so, now it’s DK, ‘Hey, do your job, or we got this other guy here.'”
There are some similarities between the two receivers, career-wise. Both will turn 29 next season, and each have held down the WR1 role before. Pittman’s spot as the Colts’ top receiver did start to fade the last two years, though, thanks to some inconsistent quarterback play and the emergence of Alec Pierce.
That doesn’t mean he’s an unqualified option. He still put together 784 receiving yards on 80 receptions last year, production that the Steelers badly needed to get from their own receiving corps. As Cohen says, Pittman quietly gets the job done. He can catch the ball in traffic and get open quickly on underneath routes. Both are things the Steelers desperately needed out wide.
He should immediately help DK Metcalf get open, as well. And Metcalf’s own production did take a dip last season, which is part of the reason Cohen puts some pressure on him here. But that’s not entirely Metcalf’s fault. The Steelers had nobody able to get open aside from him on a consistent basis. It’s why they had to resort to names like Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen late in the year, which still didn’t get the job done.
However, Metcalf is not blameless. There were some down moments. Late in the year, he had an altercation with a fan in Detroit, taking him off the field for the final two games, which were massively important. The Steelers won the division in spite of that. Then Metcalf had a quiet performance against Houston in the Wild Card game. Including this drop, one a WR1 absolutely cannot have in a tight playoff game.
That’s not to say this is a make-or-break year for Metcalf. It still feels early to speculate on his future, but Cohen’s point isn’t entirely coming out of left field. If Pittman excels and Metcalf can’t progress much after having arguably his worst statistical season in 2025, maybe it’s something the Steelers do take a look at. Especially considering they could take multiple receivers early in the draft.
For now, though, the Steelers finally have a comfortable duo out wide. DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman will help each other. It’s also going to make life a whole lot easier for whoever ends up playing quarterback. Add an exciting receiver through the draft to that mix, and the Steelers might finally be cooking at the position.
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