The Pittsburgh Steelers made a massive move this offseason, but it didn’t come in free agency. Before the legal tampering period opened, the Steelers traded for wide receiver DK Metcalf. Although the Steelers had a glaring need at receiver, it was still a surprising move. They aren’t usually involved in deals like this. Metcalf is a great player, though, so he should improve their offense. However, they still don’t have a quarterback, which might limit Metcalf. Mike Florio believes that trade has made the Steelers’ quarterback search even more important.
“Now the Steelers, paying him $30 million a year on a five-year deal, they have an obligation to get more out of DK Metcalf, and right now, QB1 is Mason Rudolph,” Florio said Friday on his Pro Football Talk podcast. “So, it raises the stakes for this separate thing the Steelers are trying to figure out, which is, ‘Who the hell is our quarterback gonna be when the season starts?'”
Florio is correct that the Steelers find themselves in a tough situation at the moment. They didn’t just trade for Metcalf. They also gave him a massive extension. Therefore, they need to get their money’s worth out of Metcalf. Unfortunately, part of that is going to rest on their quarterback’s shoulders.
Right now, the Steelers are a mess under center. They signed Mason Rudolph, but he’s more suited to be a backup than a starter. Their other options aren’t great, either. Aaron Rodgers seems to be their No. 1 target, but no one knows what his plans for the future are.
The Steelers could re-sign Russell Wilson, but it sounds like people within the organization want to move on from him. After that, the Steelers will be scraping the bottom of the barrel. Jameis Winston, Joe Flacco, and Carson Wentz aren’t quality starters. It’s tough to envision any of them getting the most out of Metcalf.
That leaves the Steelers in a tricky situation. Metcalf isn’t the only receiver they need to get the ball to. Going into a contract year, George Pickens is probably going to want the ball a lot. Finding a quarterback that’s able to placate both those receivers isn’t an easy job, especially at this point in the offseason. This is an important move for the Steelers, and hopefully, they can find a suitable solution.
