With George Pickens shining in Dallas, there's been a lot of discussion about DK Metcalf's performance with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brought in as the Pickens replacement after the Cowboys trade, Metcalf was expected to be the new WR1 for the team. Many predicted that he would have a great season with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the football.
Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. Metcalf's season has been uninspiring at best. He's on track to tally less than 1,000 yards this season and has caught just five touchdowns. More importantly, the Steelers' big-bodied wide receiver hasn't been able to connect with his quarterback, leading to a ton of frustration on the team as Rodgers struggles to find his rhythm this season.
A former All-Pro player has attributed Rodgers' struggles to Metcalf's own issues. Asante Samuel Sr, a former All-Pro cornerback and father of Steelers CB Asante Samuel Jr, said on a podcast appearance that Metcalf's inability to create separation is causing issues for the offense and Rodgers in particular.
“He’s a non-factor,” Samuel said on his podcast “Say What Needs to Be Said”. “He is most of the problem. At the end of the day, Aaron Rodgers needs someone to throw to. He’s used to having elite receivers that can suddenly get open. DK Metcalf can’t provide that for Aaron Rodgers. And DK Metcalf is the reason that Aaron Rodgers is looking so old. Because he keeps trying to throw DK Metcalf the football and he is not even getting an ounce of separation, especially when he’s going against press coverage. Aaron Rodgers continues to try to look for him and then he makes everything look terrible and old and outplayed and outdated.”
Pinning all the struggles of Pittsburgh's offense on Metcalf is not fair to the wide receiver. Arthur Smith's designed offense has also been heavily criticized, especially since the running game hasn't been able to get off the ground. The Steelers' offensive line also hasn't done Rodgers any favors, and there's no other serious threat in the passing game other than Metcalf. That being said, fans are still right to expect more out of Metcalf.
Despite their struggles, the Steelers are still in a position to possibly win the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens are dealing with their own issues, and the Cincinnati Bengals need a myriad of things to break their way to even have a chance. If they don't fix their offensive issues soon, though, their trip to the postseason will be a short one.
