PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers lastly have their established big-play vast receiver.
The Seattle Seahawks are sending two-time Professional Bowler D.Ok. Metcalf to Pittsburgh for no less than a second-round choose, sources with data of the deal instructed The Related Press on Sunday night time. The sources spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the deal was not official.
Metcalf had requested a commerce from the Seahawks final week. His exodus comes throughout a tumultuous stretch for Seattle, which launched Tyler Lockett — the franchise’s second all-time main receiver — final Wednesday after which dealt quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders late Friday.
The 27-year-old Metcalf may also obtain a brand new five-year deal value $150 million, giving Pittsburgh the form of high-profile big-play vast receiver the membership hasn’t had since Antonio Brown was traded to the Raiders in March 2019.
Metcalf has had no less than 900 yards receiving in every of his six seasons, although he did end with a career-low 5 landing receptions in 2024. He has the scale (6-foot-4) to leap over defenders and the velocity to run by them.
The following query for the Steelers to reply is who will throw Metcalf the ball. Common supervisor Omar Khan stated on the NFL mix that each one choices are on the desk.
Nonetheless Russell Wilson or Justin Fields — who mixed to guide Pittsburgh to a 10-7 report final season — would seem to take advantage of sense within the brief time period.
Staff president Artwork Rooney II and coach Mike Tomlin have each stated both participant might be an possibility in 2025, although given Fields’ youth, mobility and probably decrease asking worth, he could make a greater match. Nonetheless, the Steelers have had six-plus weeks to re-sign both participant and nonetheless had not with lower than 72 hours to go earlier than the brand new league yr begins.
Including some of the bodily imposing go catchers within the league in Metcalf, nevertheless, might make Pittsburgh extra enticing to among the different quarterbacks about to enter the market.
Metcalf might additionally turn out to be a mentor to proficient however mercurial vast receiver George Pickens. The 23-year-old Pickens is about to enter the ultimate yr of his rookie deal and whereas he has proven flashes of brilliance, he has usually blended it with bouts of petulance. The Steelers have remained bullish on Pickens regardless of his missteps, although it’s unsure how Pickens may react to not receiving prime billing.
Both means it goes with Pickens, Metcalf’s arrival marks a daring step for Khan, who pursued San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk final summer season solely to have Aiyuk re-sign with the 49ers. The Steelers by no means did discover one other established goal to place reverse Pickens, and the offense sputtered down the stretch. Pittsburgh dropped its final 5 video games, together with a blowout loss to Baltimore within the opening spherical of the playoffs.