DK Metcalf, who swapped Seattle for Pittsburgh last offseason, is surprisingly named as a trade candidate after the NFL Draft.
Last offseason, receiver DK Metcalf was traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a move seen as a good one for both parties.
The Seahawks won the Super Bowl, and Metcalf had an up-and-down season in Pittsburgh with Aaron Rodgers.
Metcalf, who made his name in Seattle as a genuine home run threat and contested catch beast, had his worst-ever season, yards-wise, in 2025.
He posted just 850, but in Pittsburgh's offense with Aaron Rodgers, and one that was a run-heavy scheme, DK found big games hard to come by. Still, he was productive, just not as productive as he would have liked.
But now comes a rather odd idea from Bleacher Report's Moe Moton, and it involves Metcalf after the NFL Draft, and that he'll be traded.
"After the Steelers acquired Pittman from the Indianapolis Colts, they signed him to an extension," Moton wrote. "Meanwhile, Metcalf is set to play out the rest of his deal, which runs through 2029, without guaranteed money.
"There's almost no chance that Metcalf plays another down on his current contract. The Steelers will need to rework his deal. Perhaps those negotiations have already begun. If not, Pittsburgh may prefer a wide receiver on a rookie contract over a seven-year veteran who needs a new one coming off an inconsistent season and a recent suspension."
Right, let's work through it.
Yes, Metcalf has no guaranteed money left on his contract, but the timing of a potential trade matters.
Per Over The Cap, if Metcalf is traded pre-June 1, the Steelers would eat $24 million in dead money and save just $7 million. But if he's traded post-June 1, Pittsburgh eats just $6 million in dead money and saves $25 million.
So, financially, it makes sense.
However, looking at the Steelers' receiver room, you quickly understand that Metcalf likely won't be traded. It's Michael Pittman Jr. or bust for whichever quarterback is playing.
Plus, with Mike McCarthy, you don't think he wants to have two good receivers to push the ball down the field? I think so.
Also, it would be a little odd that the Steelers gave up a handful of picks for a player they would then move off of in a year, right?
I doubt Metcalf gets traded or cut, but this is the NFL, so you never know, but it does feel unlikely.