While free agency hasn’t started yet, things are getting busy in the NFL. The wide receiver market, in particular, received a recent influx of talent. It appears that the Pittsburgh Steelers will have several appealing options to add to their receiver room. Perhaps they could opt to trade for a star pass-catcher. DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks recently requested a trade. He’s an impressive talent, but analyst Bucky Brooks wonders if Metcalf’s attitude would be a problem in Pittsburgh.
“DK has had some issues with his emotional outbursts in game,” Brooks said Wednesday on his podcast, Move the Stick. “Does Mike Tomlin feel like he can help him work through those issues? There’s no doubt that he’s talented. There’s no doubt that he would be a great fit in Pittsburgh stylistically, in terms of his physicality, toughness, the rugged nature that their wide receivers have traditionally displayed.
“The emotional part, you just got to make sure you do it because coming off of, I would say, a five-to-seven-year run where they’ve dealt with a lot of emotional receivers, are they willing to welcome that into the fold?”
Brooks is correct that the Steelers have a long history of receivers with attitude problems. Antonio Brown is probably the most popular answer. He isn’t alone, though. Martavis Bryant, Chase Claypool, and Diontae Johnson are other examples. George Pickens also gives them too many headaches. It’s questionable if the Steelers want another player like that.
Metcalf does have a history of being too emotional on the field. He’s frequently had outbursts on the field, even getting ejected a few times. The Steelers saw Pickens play with fire enough last season. Adding Metcalf might feel like throwing gasoline on that blaze. It might give the Steelers two loose cannons at receiver.
However, Metcalf might be worth the risk. He’s got a rare blend of size, athleticism, and talent. While he may have fallen short of 1,000 yards last year, he’s still only 27 years old. Metcalf can be a solid number-one receiver for years to come. Players like him don’t grow on trees.
Other issues might prevent the Steelers from trading for Metcalf, though. He’s only under contract for one more year, so he’ll probably want a sizeable extension. The Seahawks are likely to want significant draft pick compensation in return, too.
There are a lot of moving parts involved in trading for Metcalf. His attitude might be one deterrent, but it shouldn’t be the only hangup the Steelers have. They’ve shown a willingness to work with Pickens, and he’s got a long list of issues. Tomlin has gotten the most out of receivers with attitude problems in the past. Maybe he could do the same with Metcalf.
