Point Counterpoint: Was The DK Metcalf Trade Worth It?

Alex Klancko: Point

This past Sunday, at around 8:02 pm, it came out that DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a second-round pick and sixth and seventh round pick swaps in this upcoming NFL draft. Shortly after the trade, Metcalf was also announced as signing a five-year contract for $150 million with the Steelers. The trade came to no surprise of NFL fans as Metcalf requested a trade last week. 

The trade was an absolute steal for the Steelers as over the past six years Metcalf has been a consistent top 15 wide receiver in the NFL averaging over 1000 receiving yards and eight touchdowns a season. With Metcalf joining the Steelers, their offense is transformed by Metcalf and George Pickens as wide receivers, Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson as running backs and Pat Freiermuth as tight end; their only question currently is at quarterback. 

Let’s compare the Metcalf trade to the Deebo Samuel trade between the 49ers and Commanders. Samuel was traded to the Commanders for a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft. Samuel has never played a full NFL season while Metcalf has played a full season in four out of his six seasons in the NFL. During his career, Samuel averaged under 800 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns per season, that is over 200 less receiving yards and one touchdown less than Metcalf in the same time span. 

Metcalf is also extremely consistent, playing 97 out of a possible 100 regular season games. The accolades also speak in favor of Metcalf, with him being a two-time pro bowler in 2020 and 2023, and receiving second team all-pro in 2020. Along with the regular season stats and accolades, Metcalf turns it up in the playoffs. In four total playoff games, Metcalf averages over eight catches, 150 yards and almost two touchdowns a game.  

Last year the Steelers were 29^th in passing attempts, 28^th in completions, 27^th in passing yards and 24^th in passing touchdowns. With Metcalf’s 6-foot-4 frame combined with his incredible athleticism, he makes defenders prioritize him over other receivers on the field, giving his teammates better opportunities to get more catches and better field positioning for whatever team he is on. That alone is going to pay dividends with Metcalf himself easily giving the other receivers more space to flourish.  

The Seahawks are going to regret letting Metcalf go for just a second-round pick, as to this point, the Steelers just committed the biggest highway robbery of the offseason.

Tyler Pruneau: Counterpoint

When it comes to signing or trading a player, it’s more than likely one party wins over the other. In this case, after getting a bag and starting fresh, DK Metcalf takes the crown. However, becoming a Super Bowl contending team has more structure to it than just acquiring a star receiver. 

Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers needing help in the wide receiver room, the trade does not matter unless they get a good quarterback. With Russell Wilson and Justin Fields potentially going into free agency, the quarterback position sits in question for the team. However, Wilson noted that returning “[is] the plan.” He added, “Obviously it didn’t end the way we wanted it to, and I think there’s a lot more to do,” per ESPN.  

Regardless of wanting to run it back, the odds look slim as resigning Fields sounds more likely. Nonetheless, selecting the former Ohio State Buckeye as the starting quarterback could cause problems quickly. As a Chicago Bear, struggling under pressure played a role in moving on from the 26-year-old. In three years, Fields threw 30 interceptions and took 135 sacks, according to the NFL.  

Turning to the Steelers, the offensive line took home No. 24 in the Pro Football Network’s rankings, allowing a 38.6% pressure rating, with a 9.8% sack rating. Needless to say, stabilizing the offensive line is a must if moving forward with Fields happens. Nevertheless, with players like Trey Smith and Ronnie Stanley off the table, finding the missing pieces looks harder than it seems.  

On the other hand, if the franchise turns down both Wilson and Fields, free agency may not work out, as several teams need a quarterback. Targeting Aaron Rodgers is the best option for the Steelers come Mar. 12. In addition, rumors of Rodgers staying in New York, but in a blue and red uniform continue to grow daily. With that said, even though gaining another offensive weapon is great, the Steelers need fixing in other areas first, as Metcalf can’t make everything happen.