The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally gotten themselves some wide receiver help. It took a long, painful road for them to get here, but following the trade for DK Metcalf, the position isn’t one of need anymore, for the first time in forever. That’s a cause for celebration. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, that was the mood in the Steelers building on Sunday.
“DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers were ecstatic last night,” Fowler said Monday on SportsCenter. “They’ve scoured the earth for receiver help over the last like, two years. Especially the last six months. So they dedicated [themselves] to it. Once it leaked that Seattle was willing to do this, that he wanted out, they got to work over the last few days, outbid some people, and got it done. So Pittsburgh, I know, they were celebrating big-time in that building last night.”
While there are reasons to be concerned about a pairing between Metcalf and George Pickens, this is a bold move by the Steelers. It came completely out of left field, and it’s a difference from the approach the organization has taken in the past. Yes, the Steelers were rumored to be interested in Metcalf before the trade. It didn’t seem like anything major, though, and the Steelers’ aggressiveness here is something new.
If the organization is tired of 10-7 seasons with first-round playoff exits attached, a trade like this sure seems like a step in a different direction. Pittsburgh’s got the right to be jovial, with the offense being upgraded in a big way.
However, the Steelers still have work to do. They need to find a quarterback. They also need to make sure things work out with Pickens and Metcalf in the same building. That may be hard, with both of those receivers having their temperamental moments in the past. Still, the building blocks are there for a much-improved offense in 2024.
At the end of the day, the Steelers needed to shake something up this offseason. They’re not done, but trading for Metcalf is a great first step.
