DK Metcalf trade: Steelers sign star wideout to monster five-year contract extension

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a deal this evening for WR DK Metcalf. Not only that, he’ll be receiving a new contract from them as well.

Per Dianna Russini at The Athletic, Metcalf will sign an extension upon joining Pittsburgh. That deal from the Steelers will be for five years worth a total of $150 million.

“The Steelers are sending a 2025 second-round pick to Seattle in exchange for WR DK Metcalf,” Russini tweeted on Sunday. “Pittsburgh will sign Metcalf to a five-year, $150 million extension, per source.”

This comes after Metcalf had reportedly requested a trade out of Seattle last week. Multiple teams, including Pittsburgh as well as Green Bay and the Los Angeles Chargers, had been linked to him over the last few days with the Seahawks considering all their options. It then looked more likely after they also traded QB Geno Smith to Las Vegas on Friday.

Over six seasons in Seattle, Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time Second Team All-Pro, caught 438 passes for 6,324 yards and 48 touchdowns. That averages out to 73 receptions a season for 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns. He was the team’s leading receiver in three of those years and was second in the other three in sharing a corps with Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. However, in career-low appearances this fall, Metcalf had his worst season since his first in the league with 66 catches for 992 yards and five scores.

Next season was also going to be the final year of Metcalf’s last deal with Seattle with at a salary of $18 million. Now, with this extension, he’ll get a raise up to around $30 million per year as now one of the top-paid receivers in the NFL.

Pittsburgh is getting one of the biggest and best targets in the sport in Metcalf. They’ll project to have him for the remainder of this decade too with him signed on this new extension as well.

Booger McFarland on decision that Steelers have with George Pickens after signing Metcalf

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a monster move on Sunday by trading for and reportedly inking DK Metcalf to a five-year extension. With that, the questions immediately began about what that means for George Pickens.

Pickens has long been the top receiver for the Steelers but that designation will almost certainly fall to Metcalf following the trade. So, how will Pittsburgh now handle Pickens? Booger McFarland chimed in, essentially laying out two possibilities with reasoning for why.

“Pittsburgh either needs to move Pickens or pay him,” McFarland wrote on Twitter. “If anyone thinks he isn’t gonna be disgruntled when the guy in the room just got 150 (million). (You) are mistaken.”

George Pickens, who is coming up on the fourth year of his rookie contract, will make $3.41 million in base salary in 2025, according to Spotrac. That’s a huge gap from the $30 million per year that Metcalf will be getting.

That’s despite comparable production of late. In fact, the two had very similar production last season. Metcalf tallied 66 catches for 992 yards and five touchdowns playing for the Seahawks. Meanwhile, with for the Steelers, Pickens had 59 catches for 900 yards and three touchdowns.