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The Pittsburgh Steelers made the splash that fans expected in 2025 NFL free agency. But it didn’t come at the position of the biggest need.
On March 9, right after the Los Angeles Rams essentially put the kibosh on a Cooper Kupp future in the Sunshine State, picking up Davante Adams on a two-year commitment, the news only got crazier Sunday evening.
The Steelers continued the marathon by sending a 2025 second-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for DK Metcalf, followed by a five-year, $150 million extension that keeps the two-time Pro Bowl wideout in the Steel City for the long haul.
Now begs the question. What are the Steelers going to do for a quarterback?
The team called in 2018 third-round pick Mason Rudolph on March 13, providing a backup plan and familiarity to the franchise. While that move put the QB hunt on a temporary hold, this is still an unresolved dilemma. With time winding down before April’s NFL Draft, the Steelers are down to a select group of options after a turbulent free agency.
Aaron Rodgers has been atop the list, despite the everlasting delay of him narrowing down his preferred landing spot to the Steelers, New York Giants (or potentially the Minnesota Vikings) like he’s the customer with a hundred questions for the cashier in line at Walmart.
The 41-year-old veteran, following an utterly disastrous two-year stint in the Big Apple, looks like more of a risk than reward. Pittsburgh would be better off not getting further tangled up in the mess, becoming the proverbial doormat this offseason.
Russell Wilson offers continuity, and he was a solid fit in Arthur Smith’s scheme last year. But that was a different time – with a different paycheck. So while a Wilson-Metcalf connection could potentially be something, what this team needs is a fresh start.
The 2025 NFL Draft class doesn’t possess the most alluring prospects. However, with the likes of Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe and Will Howard – all of whom have done their fair share of winning in college football – the Steelers could afford to give a young gunslinger an opportunity.
Regardless of how things shake out over the next month, the addition of a proven playmaker in Metcalf was a must.
Steelers trade and extension grade for DK Metcalf
The Steelers abandoned their second-round draft pick as part of the deal with the Seahawks, but to secure an offensive weapon like Metcalf in his prime, that No. 50 selection soon will vanish from memory.
Another positive for the Steelers is Metcalf's renewed fervor. He's not hitting the panic button on what the team does or doesn't have now. Instead, he believes in where the franchise is going. Based on its history, he's comfortable with the current situation, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
“Coach [Mike] Tomlin, Mr. Omar [Khan] and Mr. [Art] Rooney all hopped on the phone with me Sunday, and it just felt homey, felt welcoming that they wanted to bring me to this historic organization,” Metcalf said at his introductory news conference. “Everything just snowballed from there and brought me here in front of you today.”
Metcalf gives the Steelers another primary pass catcher alongside George Pickens, so the talented combo that now exists at Acrisure Stadium should be easier to build around.
“They made me feel like they had the right decision with who was going to be throwing me the football,” Metcalf said of his conversation with Tomlin, Khan, and Rooney.
“I'm not making the decision in the quarterback room, so I'm just going to try to do the best of my abilities to help whoever they have out there throwing the football. They make the correct decisions to bring the quarterback in here. So I'm just going to roll with that.”
Once the QB concern is (presumably) put in the rearview at the start of the 2025-26 season, the Steelers will be reflecting on the decision to acquire Metcalf as a serious organizational win.
Grade: A
