New details about the circumstances leading up to DK Metcalf’s trade have surfaced during the annual NFL Owners meeting in Palm Beach. According to ESPN Seahawks beat reporter Brady Henderson, Metcalf requested a trade at the beginning of March just before free agency, but that wasn’t the first time he had requested a trade to leave Seattle.
“The trade request that led the Seahawks to send DK Metcalf to Pittsburgh last month wasn’t the first time he asked out of Seattle,” Henderson wrote via ESPN. “According to team sources, the star receiver had requested trades multiple times in recent offseasons…The Seahawks didn’t plan on trading him at the start of the offseason, but they had to weight Metcalf’s prolonged unhappiness in addition to the inherent risk of signing a player to a massive third contract.”
It’s unclear exactly how long this has been going on, but the fact that he’s requested a trade multiple times in recent offseasons suggests it is at least this year and last year. If I had to guess, it may have been when Russell Wilson was traded following the 2021 season.
Shortly after the most recent trade request, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that Metcalf was looking for warm weather and a stable quarterback situation. He has refuted the warm-weather claim since being traded to the Steelers, but his preferred destinations during the trade process fit both criteria well.
“Metcalf’s preferred landing spots, according to multiple sources familiar with the trade talks, were the [Houston] Texans and [Los Angeles] Chargers,” Henderson wrote.
Houston and Los Angeles both have nice weather and stable quarterback situations, for what it’s worth.
His contract demands, coupled with the Seahawks trade demands, narrowed his list of potential suitors, and he made it known that the New England Patriots weren’t a suitable destination for him.
It’s unclear why he didn’t want to go to the Patriots, but it probably had something to do with the recent turnover at head coach and their combined 8-26 record over the last two seasons. However, the Patriots are much closer to having their long-term quarterback situation figured out than the Steelers. They at least drafted Drake Maye in the first round last year.
The Steelers don’t fit either of the criteria with cold weather and a quarterback situation that is very publicly unstable at the moment. If Metcalf was unhappy with Geno Smith in Seattle, I can’t imagine he would be thrilled with Mason Rudolph throwing him the ball. And even if Aaron Rodgers signs, the Steelers are right back to square one at the quarterback position in 2026.
Mike Tomlin and the Steelers’ front office have made it clear over the years that they want volunteers, not hostages. They have been quick to trade away anybody who publicly demands a trade. Hopefully, Metcalf won’t devolve into a hostage situation if the Steelers take a season or two to figure out the quarterback situation.
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