After many failed makes an attempt over the previous 12 months, the Pittsburgh Steelers lastly received their big-play vast receiver on Sunday once they reportedly agreed to a trade to accumulate DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks.
Together with sending a second-round decide to Seattle, they reportedly are additionally giving Metcalf a brand new five-year contract value $150M to make him one of many highest-paid vast receivers within the league.
It’s a enormous deal for the Steelers offense. Additionally it is an interesting deal as a result of it now creates some uncertainty across the returning prime vast receiver in Pittsburgh, George Pickens.
Is it doable that the Metcalf commerce may push Pickens out of Pittsburgh in a separate commerce in some unspecified time in the future this offseason?
Pickens already gave the impression to be on skinny ice in Pittsburgh given the way in which the 2024 season ended and together with his frustration degree throughout the offense.
Whereas the concept of Metcalf and Pickens collectively does sound intriguing given the big-play capacity of each gamers, it could be a really sophisticated state of affairs.
For one, each gamers have comparable skillsets and play the same position offensively as big-play, downfield targets.
In addition they each need the soccer and are usually not prone to accept No. 2 vast receiver standing, and it could nearly actually be Pickens settling into that No. 2 position.
Are there sufficient passes to go round to maintain each gamers completely happy?
Pickens can also be coming into the ultimate 12 months of his contract and is about to turn out to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season. It appears uncertain the Steelers would make investments massive cash in two vast receivers who fill the same position.
Would additionally they be prepared to let Pickens play out a lame-duck season after which let him stroll for nothing? Particularly provided that Pickens could be in search of as many passes as he can get to be able to increase his free-agency worth?
When all of these components get put collectively, it’s not exhausting to ascertain a state of affairs the place possibly the Steelers get proactive and flip Pickens this offseason to attempt to recoup the decide they traded away in buying Metcalf.
It could nonetheless depart them with a gap on the No. 2 vast receiver place, however they might have a transparent improve on the No. 1 spot and an opportunity to nonetheless draft a large receiver someplace on the primary two days of the draft.
For now, they’ve one of many extra intriguing vast receiver duos within the league. It simply stays to be seen if they are going to truly line up collectively or if Pickens will get traded earlier than they get an opportunity.
