The Baltimore Ravens just watched their division rival make a blockbuster move, as the Pittsburgh Steelers landed wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks. In a vacuum, adding an athlete like Metcalf should be a game-changer. He’s a physical specimen who can take the top off defenses and win contested catches. The problem? The Steelers don’t currently have a quarterback.
Pittsburgh has no idea who’s throwing Metcalf the ball next season. Justin Fields is a free agent. His former quarterback from Seattle, Russell Wilson, is still floating around. Aaron Rodgers would be a hilarious fit. And, if reports are true, they’re also sniffing around Sam Darnold.
It’s a bold strategy—spending $30 million a year on a receiver without a current answer at the most important position on the field. But hey, you do you.
And then there’s the best part. Before being traded, Metcalf wanted two things: a massive bag and a warm-weather destination. He got the money, but instead of palm trees and ocean breezes, he’s gearing up for December trips to Cleveland and Cincinnati. Hope he likes frostbite.
DK Metcalf had one year and $18 million left on his old deal. Now he gets a 4-year, $132 million extension -- $33 million per year -- that puts him under contract through 2029 and makes him one of the NFL's highest-paid receivers. https://t.co/ATissmYN9K
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 9, 2025
Steelers pull off a blockbuster trade for DK Metcalf
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers are sending Seattle a 2025 second-round pick while also swapping late-round picks. That’s not a bad price for a guy of Metcalf’s caliber, but the real cost comes in the form of his contract—a five-year, $150 million extension that locks him in at $30 million per season.
That ties him with Tyreek Hill and Brandon Aiyuk for the fourth-largest annual earnings, and Pittsburgh just handed it out before figuring out who’s throwing him the ball. If they re-sign Fields, they’re paying a guy with a career 61.1% completion rate to throw to Metcalf. If it’s Wilson, they’re hoping a 36-year-old quarterback with declining skillset can make it work (we saw how they flamed out offensively down the stretch last year). If it’s Darnold? Good luck with another expensive contract for someone who's relatively unproven at quarterback.
It’s not like Metcalf is coming off a monster season. He finished 2024 with 66 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns—not bad, but not elite. That’s not exactly the stat line of a receiver who should reset the market, yet the Steelers were more than happy to pay up.
At one point, the Ravens could have been a sneaky landing spot for Metcalf. His ability to stretch the field would’ve been a perfect complement to Lamar Jackson, and Seattle was reportedly open to moving him for the right price. However, that always felt more like a pipe dream than reality.
So now Metcalf gets to enjoy a massive payday and a quarterback situation that’s a major question mark while enduring the warm winters of the Northeast. Maybe Pittsburgh figures it out. Or maybe Metcalf just locked himself into five years of running wind sprints for overthrows and checkdowns. Regardless, the Ravens will be seeing a lot more of him.