The Pittsburgh Steelers did something relatively uncharacteristic of their franchise by trading a second-round pick for former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, then inking him to a monster deal worth $150 million over a five-year span.
That play also indicates a potential shift in the Steelers' decision-making process at quarterback, which multiple NFL insiders noted in their analyses of Pittsburgh's big move.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell on Monday, March 10, wrote that the Steelers' investment in Metcalf and the presence of wideout George Pickens already on the roster points to a likely change in preference from Justin Fields in 2025 to Russell Wilson.
"Given the personnel the Steelers are now projecting to line up at wide receiver in Metcalf and Pickens, the right call would seemingly be to go with Russell Wilson," Barnwell wrote. "Most of the chatter around the Pittsburgh job has suggested Justin Fields is the favorite to re-up as the starter, but that would be a much more curious fit given the receiving threats here."
Steelers owner Art Rooney II told media members in January that the franchise intended to bring back at least one of Wilson or Fields, both of whom started multiple games for the franchise in 2024. However, he noted it was unlikely that the team would bring back both, as each man considers himself an NFL starter.
As it turns out, Pittsburgh may not consider either a starter suitable enough for the roster it now boasts -- evidenced by a report from Dianna Russini on Sunday that the team will make an offer to Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold.
"The Steelers are expected to make an offer to pending free agent Sam Darnold, per source," Russini posted on X. "Many around the league believe Darnold will wind up in Seattle, but Pittsburgh is doing its due diligence on any potential options ahead of the new league year."
Darnold had a much bigger season statistically than Wilson in 2024, but both the Vikings and Steelers ultimately exited the playoffs in the first round. Both quarterbacks also made the Pro Bowl, though it was Darnold's first time earning the honor and the 10th such occasion for Wilson.
Related: QBs Justin Fields, Russell Wilson Get Bad News on Future With Steelers
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This story was originally published March 10, 2025 at 4:59 AM.