Seattle Seahawks star DK Metcalf has found a new home in the AFC North, as the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired the wide receiver in a trade and will sign him to a five-year, $150 million extension, a league source confirmed Sunday. Seattle will receive a 2025 second-round pick in exchange.
The trade is Seattle’s second major move of the weekend after dealing quarterback Geno Smith to the Raiders for a 2025 third-round pick.
News that the Pro Bowl receiver requested a trade leaked Wednesday, and league sources said Metcalf was seeking a new contract worth around $30 million per year.
The 27-year-old finished the 2024 campaign — his sixth season in Seattle — with 992 yards on 66 receptions. He caught five touchdown passes, which is a career low.
The 2019 second-round pick out of Ole Miss has recorded at least 900 receiving yards in each of his seasons with the Seahawks. He’s tallied 438 receptions, 6,324 yards and 48 receiving touchdowns in the regular season. Over four postseason games, he’s added 451 yards and five touchdowns. Seattle has missed the playoffs in the last two seasons and has not advanced past the wild-card round since Metcalf’s rookie season.
How will Seattle replace DK?
Moving on from Metcalf makes Jaxon Smith-Njigba the unquestioned WR1 in Seattle’s new-look offense under Klint Kubiak. The 20th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Smith-Njigba had a breakout season in Year 2 and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl (as an injury replacement). Metcalf was among the league’s leading receivers prior to suffering a knee injury in Week 7 that forced him to miss two games. Smith-Njigba was the focal point of the passing game in his absence, which featured a 180-yard, two-touchdown performance in Week 9. But even when Metcalf returned, Smith-Njigba led Seattle in receptions, yards and touchdowns through the end of the season.
Seattle now needs another speedy receiver to replace Metcalf’s ability to threaten the defense deep, which often created opportunities for teammates to make plays. The only other receiver under contract who caught a ball last season is Jake Bobo, who had four receptions for 26 yards and ran 4.9 40-yard dash coming out of UCLA. Seattle will likely be active on the veteran receiver market and target multiple pass catchers in the draft.
Seattle is now scheduled to have pick Nos. 18, 50, 52, 82 and No. 92 in the 2025 NFL Draft. — Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seahawks beat writer
What does the move mean for Seattle’s finances?
Trading Metcalf saves the Seahawks $10.9 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap. Seattle had $62 million in cap space prior to agreeing to re-sign defensive tackle Jarran Reed and Ernest Jones IV on Sunday. Regardless of how those deals are structured — Reed’s 2025 cap hit will reportedly be around $5 million — Seattle should still have plenty of salary cap space to acquire a veteran quarterback and at least one more receiver.
Trading Metcalf and Smith in the same offseason may suggest the Seahawks are entering a full-on rebuild, but that is not the case. Just as it wasn’t the case when Seattle traded Russell Wilson and cut Bobby Wagner in the same week three years ago. The Seahawks believe they can reallocate their resources in a way that will make them competitive in 2025. They’ll likely be aggressive in free agency, particularly in their pursuit of offensive linemen, which general manager John Schneider believes is their biggest weakness. — Dugar
What is DK’s immediate impact on the Steelers ?
Steelers general manager Omar Khan has been on the hunt for a game-breaking receiver for some time now. Pittsburgh very nearly reeled in Brandon Aiyuk during training camp before a change of heart by the player and the 49ers kept him in San Francisco. Searching for depth and an impact player, the Steelers were forced to instead settle at the trade deadline for Mike Williams, who made less of an impact than anticipated.
“It’s obviously a priority,” Khan said at the NFL combine when asked about the receiver room. “I’m not going to run from that. That’s just the reality. … We weren’t good enough at that position. We’ll look at everything.”
On Sunday evening, Khan made a major splash when he landing Metcalf. The deal is the most significant Steelers trade since the team acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick in exchange for a package that included a first-round pick in 2019. It has the opportunity to be even more significant by the end of Metcalf’s tenure in Pittsburgh, given the Steelers’ need at WR and the ripple effect Metcalf may have on roster construction.
At 27 years old, Metcalf is still in the prime of his career. He brings size, physicality and great hands. Simply put, he’s a game changer who should immediately step into the No. 1 WR role, no matter what other receivers the Steelers have on the roster. By agreeing to a five-year, $150 million deal, he will be a central piece of the Steelers’ offense this year and into the future. — Mike DeFabo, Steelers beat writer
What comes next for the Steelers?
The ripple effect from this trade should impact two areas: The uncertain QB situation and George Pickens.
The Steelers are currently working through their options at QB. A receiver room that used to have Pickens and a lot of question marks now looks a lot more complete. The Steelers should be able to use Metcalf as a way to sweeten the pot for a potential future passer. Khan said at the combine he wanted to get the QB in place first, because that might impact the type of WR the Steelers targeted in free agency. Now, it could work the other way. Having Metcalf on the roster makes Pittsburgh a much more appealing destination for a QB.
Maybe just as significantly, this trade also should give Khan every option when it comes to Pickens. Whether the Steelers like it or not, they are approaching a crossroads with the mercurial wide receiver, as he’s set to enter the final year of his rookie deal. By landing a star No. 1 WR, the Steelers should have enough flexibly to consider all options with Pickens, including letting him play out the final year of his rookie deal or trading him while his value is still high. Stay tuned.
