The new league year hasn’t even started yet, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are already making fireworks. Reportedly, they have agreed to terms on a trade, acquiring WR DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks. The terms include the Steelers sending the Seahawks their second-round pick and swaps of late-round selections. In addition to compensating Seattle, Pittsburgh is also signing Metcalf to a five-year, $150 million contract.
This is quite aggressive by the Steelers’ historical standards, but you can imagine why. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, and part of the reason is because they have allowed shortcomings to stand. Weaknesses in acquiring quarterback and wide receiver talent have come back to haunt them.
Last year, they went down to the wire trying to trade for Brandon Aiyuk, winding up empty-handed. The Steelers started that offseason acquiring a cornerback while giving up a starting wide receiver, hopeful they could replace him. It took them a year, but DK Metcalf certainly accomplishes the task of replacing Diontae Johnson. And there is reason to believe there is plenty more to come.
Before the Metcalf trade news surfaced, Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly wrote that he believes we could “see a free-agency frenzy like never before seen in Pittsburgh in the 33 years of free agency”. I think we can charitably include that trade into the free agency discussion, which should be a centerpiece. But what more might we see?
“If there is one thing that you don’t have to worry about when it comes to [Steelers GM Omar] Khan it is spending Art Rooney’s money in free agency…and then some”, Kaboly wrote. He noted that the Steelers signed 12 free agents in the first week of free agency in 2023-24. That included a combined $163 million in contract assets, and Metcalf by himself nearly equals that.
But the Steelers also entered this offseason in much better cap shape than they have been—well, possibly ever. That is obviously true in total volume, but even proportionally they are well off. DK Metcalf takes a chunk out of that, but they still have both cap and cash to spend aplenty.
Of course, the Steelers are also in worse shape than they typically are, which partially accounts for the resources. One of the biggest variables in their available coffer is the absence of franchise quarterback contracts. They will have to add one this offseason, even if we still don’t know who it is.
But increasing evidence points to the possibility of an outside name—a free agent. A report yesterday indicated that the Steelers intend to make an offer to QB Sam Darnold, the biggest name on the market. If they trade for a starting wide receiver and then sign a potential long-term quarterback, that would certainly qualify as a frenzy by Steelers standards, I would think. But let’s not forget the glaring needs at cornerback and the defensive line that remain. And a swing tackle.
