Well, Steelers Nation, Free Agency has been a bit of a mixed bag so far. Unless news broke overnight — after we submitted this — the Steelers are still without a quarterback. Some fans seem excited about one remaining free agent quarterback, but others are already giving up on the season. This week, Read & React dives into the Negotiation Period — the 48 hours leading up to the new league year.
The headline move for the Steelers so far has been the trade for DK Metcalf. There’s a lot to unpack here.
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
RP: For starters, I just want to know what your reaction was to the news. How’d you hear? I found out from the BTSC Slack channel.
RB: I had the lucky timing of logging onto X/Twitter a few moments after the deal. I actually wasn’t all that surprised — I was fairly certain the Steelers would make a big move at receiver at some point this offseason — but after the ups and downs of last year’s Brandon Aiyuk saga, I had to read it from a couple of sources before I believed it was real.
RP: Thoughts on compensation? I feel like the second round pick is about right, even if Metcalf is in that second-tier of receivers more than the elite of the elite. I’m not really flinching at that contract extension either. With Ja’Marr Chase about to reset the receiver market, I think this deal will look pretty reasonable this time next year.
RB: I’m largely in agreement. The Steelers are unlikely to find a player, especially at receiver, as good as Metcalf in the second round this year. I think the contract is a bit of an overpay for a player who isn’t really in the upper echelon of WR1s, but as you point out, the market is just going to keep skyrocketing; Metcalf’s deal will probably look like a bargain before the five years are up. Also, with the amount of cap space the Steelers have, it doesn’t restrict them from making other moves.
And as for the “Steelers aren’t a wide receiver away” — crowd: fair enough, I guess. But you can’t get to the point of “[position here] away” until you fill all the other roster holes, and at a premium position like wide receiver, this is a good start. Metcalf’s first year might be “wasted” given Pittsburgh’s quarterback conundrum, but don’t forget he’s agreed to a five-year deal.
RP: What do we think this means for the future of George Pickens? I traded him last week in my offseason blueprint, and I can see an even stronger case for it now if there is a market. Do you think the Steelers ride out the final year of his contract or try to move him? I’m having a hard time picturing a future where they pay him a big contract.
RB: I think Metcalf’s $150 million extension makes it unlikely that the Steelers pony up a similar amount for Pickens next offseason. You and I have both been predicting he won’t get a second contract from the Steelers for a while now. However, given the Steelers’ lack of moves at wide receiver so far outside of Metcalf, I think they’ll keep Pickens for cheap one more season and enjoy an offense with two extremely dangerous vertical threats on the outside.
The drama concerns are always there but they are probably a bit overblown — I don’t think Omar Khan went all this way to fix Pittsburgh’s wide receiver duo just to blow it up immediately. Let’s enjoy one year of Metcalf/Pickens. That being said, how do you think Metcalf fits in the Steelers offense?
RP: Before I discuss Metcalf’s fit, I want to say I differ a little in my opinion on Pickens. While I can see the Steelers doing exactly as you say, I can’t get this answer from Omar Khan out of my mind.
Asked Omar Khan about the outlook of George Pickens’ future with the #Steelers.
“I had a really solid exit interview with GP. I can tell you he has a desire to be great, and to be great here.”
Full response here: pic.twitter.com/dMfyGLApS6
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) February 25, 2025
On the surface level, that’s Khan saying all the right things — we support our player, we want him here, and the business will take care of itself. But I’ve seen enough offseason quotes from general managers to recognize when the answer isn’t exactly glowing. In my opinion, that answer reads as the Steelers not feeling pressured to move Pickens — but they’d probably listen if the price is right. A second rounder would let them pivot through the draft, for example. It might not happen at all, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did.
But to address your question, I think Metcalf brings a lot of the same things Pickens does. He isn’t the same type of contested catch player Pickens is, but he also moves at a different speed. If the Steelers continue to sell out on the vertical game, having Metcalf and Pickens at their peaks should stress defenses vertically and hopefully open things up for the running game. You can read my full thoughts in this film room.
Of course, the big question remains: Who will be throwing them the ball?
Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
RB: It really feels like it’s down to Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers at this point, no? While I think the Steelers have the receiver talent now to do a bit better with either of those quarterbacks than some might think, it’s still a less than an ideal choice that doesn’t have the team progressing meaningfully forward.
While there’s always more nuance to the conversation than just the numbers, I would’ve traded a third for Geno Smith or given Fields the same contract he got with the Jets (it is a bit steep but the structure is fairly team-friendly) before going with either Wilson or Rodgers, especially if that $90 million price tag is legitimate. It just feels like the Steelers got the short end of the stick in an already bad year for quarterbacks.
RP: I too would have considered a trade for Geno Smith at that cost — he was on my shortlist of QB solutions last year — but all the reporting I’ve seen says Seattle offered Smith a similar contract to what he signed with Vegas and he turned it down. It seems like he just wanted to reunite with Pete Carroll, the coach that revived Smith’s career.
As for Fields, I can’t really blame him for leaving town. He was benched after leading the Steelers to a 4-2 start. And reports are the Steelers’ contract offer had all of the money frontloaded in the first year with no guaranteed money past that. That’s pretty typical for Steeler contracts, but it is not the norm around the league and does little to instill confidence in a stable future with the organization. The organization couldn’t have made it clearer that they don’t think he’s a long-term solution. And to be fair, I don’t even think those of us that wanted to see him back were convinced he was.
I don’t really want to do the Rodgers experiment. I tend to believe athletes don’t get better after turning 40. That said, if they go that route, so be it. I’m not as hung up on the contract numbers because I would imagine the Steelers would put a significant amount of those guarantees into year one. Contracts rarely reach their maximum and it’s not like there are a ton of great options out there.
I also think the organization has really soured on Russ. The leaked report about him being handcuffed by Arthur Smith is not likely to have done him any favors. As a Seattle native, I’ve seen enough of the Russ media complex to feel confident that came from his team. I don’t blame the Steelers if they want to move on.
As for other alternatives, it only gets bleaker. No thanks to taking on Kirk Cousins’ contract in a trade. Joe Flacco is another Super Bowl winning quarterback in his 40s, if that’s really what the Steelers brass are into. Maybe they trade a late round pick for a project quarterback like Malik Willis or Joe Milton, as I’ve seen suggested. But at that cost why not draft one instead?
I just hope we don’t end up in a scenario where the Steelers are overdrafting a QB prospect in the late first round. If they want to spend a Day 2 or Day 3 pick in April, so be it, but I’d feel much better about spinning the wheels on Jaxson Dart or Tyler Shough at that price than I would if the Steelers used their first round pick. And let’s not speculate on trading up for Cam Ward. That doesn’t seem even remotely realistic.
I think 2025 will be another bumpy year with better things on the horizon in 2026.
RB: That’s fair. I’m also against a first-round quarterback unless something unexpected happens on draft day. The good news, at least, is that the Steelers should have some extra draft capital next year to make a move in the first round.
I also thought the door was more or less closed on a Wilson return, but as the options continue to be whittled down, it’s looking more and more likely, especially if Rodgers ends up a Giant. And while I’ve been outspoken on wanting the Steelers to pursue another option at quarterback, you can’t tell me Wilson’s moon ball-driven game isn’t the worst fit for the Steelers’ new wide receiver room. Assuming it’s accompanied by a mid- to late-round dart throw at quarterback, would you take Rodgers or Wilson in 2025?
Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
RP: I think I would take Wilson for two reasons. One, I just don’t think Rodgers on a mercenary deal at 41 years old is going to end in a Super Bowl. I think it ends with a lot of talk show drama and a fanbase even more pissed off than they already are. And I don’t know if anybody has the energy for that.
Second, I think if the Steelers take a dart throw at quarterback this year, they’d be more likely to play them over a struggling Wilson than a struggling Rodgers. That would be preferable because it would answer any questions about the rookie, and if he bombs out, that’s just that much closer to a top pick in the draft.
Beyond the Metcalf trade, there haven’t been many splashy moves made by the Steelers. What do we make of the moves they have made?
Kara Durrette/Getty Images
RP: Let’s sum up what the Steelers have done so far.
Cut Larry Ogunjobi, saving $7 million
Extended a second-round tender to restricted free agent Jaylen Warren
Signed center Ryan McCollum to a one-year deal
Signed TE Donald Parham Jr.
Signed 34-year-old corner Darius Slay, but that appears to be up in the air
Signed linebacker Malik Harrison to a two-year, $10 million deal
Signed running back Kenneth Gainwell to a one-year deal
Nothing too crazy to write about here. I believe we both had McCollum and Warren coming back. There’s been some hubbub over the Steelers letting Elandon Roberts go, but I’m guessing the team is hoping Cole Holcomb can slide into that early down role. Gainwell should work on special teams and provide some third down work in relief.
What are your thoughts on Slay and that situation? And what do you think the Steelers do moving forward? Seems like there won’t be any big spending splurges outside of Metcalf and potentially Rodgers.
RB: It’s always worrying to sign a 34-year-old defensive back for a major role, but I think Slay is better than a lot of people think and he should be capable as a one-year rental opposite Joey Porter Jr., and a good mentor in a young cornerback room — of course, assuming the deal actually goes through. Slay’s athleticism is still NFL-caliber for the time being and he has the savvy of one of the NFL’s most decorated active corners.
What worries me more is how the team once again appears to be band-aiding CB2. With Porter still on his rookie deal, the Steelers have every reason to invest more in the position, and there were a number of excellent candidates on the market this offseason, including Charvarius Ward, Paulson Adebo, D.J. Reed, and Byron Murphy Jr.
The lack of any additions on the defensive line (and most of the market has dried up) also means the Steelers have more or less telegraphed that’ll be their target in the first round, meaning the Slay signing likely won’t be doubled-up with a Day 1 cornerback. Ultimately, I’m underwhelmed by the move but I won’t judge it too harshly until the Steelers’ roster is finalized.
As for predictions, I fully expect the Steelers to sign a quarterback at some point (duh), and then probably a handful of depth signings/re-signings, probably on the defensive line and then maybe wide receiver, offensive lineman, and/or safety. Bringing back James Pierre at corner still seems possible, as well.
The wild card is nickel cornerback. The Steelers still have Beanie Bishop Jr., but there are a number of names still on the market, such as Mike Hilton and Asante Samuel Jr. I’m not saying I’d be ecstatic with either of those names, but it’ll be interesting to see how much trust the team has in Bishop.
The real question is: Do you think this team is on track to be better than last year’s?
RP: So far, no. They’ve upgraded the receiver room and that’s about it.
I agree with your CB2 sentiment. Slay played well last year, but he’s 34 and we know cornerbacks tend to fall off a cliff near the end of their careers. Without another signing, this signals a confidence in Cory Trice, or that they’re in love with a first round corner. I tend to think they’re leaning defensive line in the first round, so I’ll go with the former.
It feels like the team won’t make any other big moves until after the quarterback decision is made. As a result, I’d expect most of the forthcoming deals to be on the shorter side as the free agency pool begins to thin out. I’m sure more moves are coming, but it’s too early to make any definitive judgments just yet. For now, we wait.
Join in on Steelers R&R by sharing your takes on this week’s topics. What are your initial thoughts on the Steelers’ offseason? Let us know in the comments! Feel free to pitch future questions in the comment section or on Twitter/X: tag @_Ryland_B or @RyanParishMedia.
