By Ray Porter Jr. for Urban Media Today
For almost 2 seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking for a veteran Wide Receiver (WR) they spent the Summer of 2024 trying to get the services of SF 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk when he announced that he wanted to be traded, only for him to return to the 49ers on a long-term deal. During the Trade Deadline, they acquired WR Mike Williams from the NY Jets, but for reasons unknown, he was hardly used despite his first catch resulting in the game-winning TD vs. Washington.
The Steelers entered the offseason with over $60 million under the 2025 Salary Cap and the expectations were that they would use it to capitalize on addressing several needs and on the first day of the Legal Tampering Period, the Steelers found their long-sought WR when they sent a 2nd round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for DK Metcalf and then shocked the NFL world by signing him to a 5-year, $150 million dollar contract. Metcalf had a year left on his 3-year, $72 million dollar deal with the Seahawks.
Such a move gives the Steelers their most-decorated WR since Antonio Brown. In his career, the 6-4, 235-pound Metcalf has caught 438 passes for 6,324 yards and 48 TDs to go along with and All-Pro season and 2 Pro-Bowls. He also has three 1,000-yard seasons and he narrowly missed a fourth when he caught 66 passes for 992 yards and 5 TDs in 2024.
Such a move vastly improves the Steelers WR Corps as he joins George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek.
But the Steelers weren’t done as they were closing on a deal with veteran CB Darius Slay from the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. They also signed former Baltimore Ravens LB Malik Harrison to a 2-year $10 Million dollar deal and tendered Restricted free agent RB Jaylen Warren and backup C Ryan McCulloum to 1-year deals.
As the first day of Free Agency looms, the Steelers focus will be at QB as they are reported to have veteran QBs Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson on their radar.
Notes: The Steelers parted ways with several players as QB Justin Fields signed with the NY Jets, RB Najee Harris and CB Donta Jackson signed with the LA Chargers and OT Dan Moore Jr. Signed with the Tennessee Titans.
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