Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The trade occurred just days after Metcalf had requested a trade from the Seattle Seahawks. He was beginning to enter the final year of a three year, $72 million contract extension signed in 2022 and was looking for a raise. With the Steelers in need of a playmaking wide receiver, they worked quickly to complete a trade for Metcalf. Following the trade, the Steelers immediately agreed to a five year, $150 million contract extension with Metcalf.
In exchange for Metcalf’s services, the Steelers gave the Seahawks a second-round pick in this year’s National Football League (NFL) Draft. Both teams also agreed to exchange picks in the sixth and seventh rounds of this year’s draft.
WIth an average annual value (AAV) of $30 million per season, Metcalf has become one of six wide receivers to have contracts valued at that number or higher. This was also the most the Steelers have spent on an outside free agent as the previous record was when they signed linebacker Patrick Queen to a three year, $41 million contract last spring.
With Metcalf, the Steelers have now added a star wide receiver that can play opposite of their 2022 second-round pick George Pickens. Last season, Metcalf recorded 66 receptions, 992 receiving yards, and five touchdowns in 15 games played. While the statistics were not quite as good as it had been in years past, Metcalf did suffer a knee injury which plagued part of his campaign.
With this trade, the Seahawks are beginning to add more cap space and draft capital to retool the roster. With this trade, the Seahawks now have five picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft as well as $68 million in cap space.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44184542/sources-seahawks-trading-star-wr-dk-metcalf-steelers
https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/seattle-seahawks#google_vignette
